A Thief's Testimony
by Naryfiel Lilith
Summary: Do I really have to write this?This whole thing is being kept hushed up, to protect the fragile peace. Though, the doors of destiny open at the smallest, inconsequential decision, after all, and this whole thing was filled with them. Maybe this will lead to the next generations of heroes being born or something. Ah, well. My name is Amanda, thief and assassin. This is my testimony.
1. Chapter 1) The Noble Thief

Chapter 1) The Noble Thief

* * *

 _House Hanover… is a very old noble family. Founded by the Lady Hildegard, the Dread Fighter, friend of the Eight Heroes, the land is famous for two things. One, their horses. Their prized horses are beloved by the continent, strong and powerful, bred for different attributes depending on where they would be used._

 _The second? The second is… more of a local thing. Something that everyone in Etruria knows, though not a soul outside would guess. It is how pragmatic, how brutal, those of the house can be if you make the mistake of riling their tempers. And the fools who make the mistake of trying that reputation… well, they are not even given enough time to pray._

* * *

Okay, I was not being paid enough for this. Assassinate this person of this description for this amount of coin. Should have been simple. Except the 'person'? The person was Lord Uther, heir to Ostia. I was _not_ being paid enough for this.

My lungs burned as I ran, trying to escape the little lord's guards. They were a tenacious bunch, but I suppose it was fair. I mean; they were dogs getting paid to enforce the lord's laws, and I just cut up the little lord's pretty face. I wondered if the people got a kick out of seeing his blood was as red as theirs.

"Stop!" Why did people shout that? It was not as if I was going to magically 'stop' because they said so. "Stop, in the name of the law." Especially when they used that excuse. Pff, law? Those laws never protected people who mattered. Just the people with money.

Someone slid in front of me and I stumbled to a stop, daggers out as I tried to get a read on whoever it was. Purple hair was the first thing I noticed, with the beginnings of a beard on his face. The orange armor marked him as a Pheran knight. Not too much of a surprise. Everyone knew of the strong friendship between Uther and Elbert, heir of Pherae. And Uther had a redhead companion when I had attempted to kill Uther. Would make a hell of a lot of sense for that person to be Elbert.

"Surrender, assassin," the man growled. Despite the words, his hands shook slightly, making the tip of his lance waver. Was he a new knight? No, he seemed a little old for that. Traumatized, then. Still trying to be the good knight despite it. Aw, how adorable. "If you come peacefully-"

"What about me makes you think I am going to come in peacefully?" I deadpanned. Okay, I was in an alley at this point, so… "Stupid little knight." I lunged, aiming a kick as his knee to get his guard to falter. He dodged it and spun his lance to ward me off. I scooped up some dirt to throw in his face, and when he flinched, slammed my heel right into his balls. The way he dropped told me he had been stupid enough to not wear a cup.

Laughing, and nudging him to make sure he was not going to get up so quickly, I used his back as a platform to jump just a bit higher and climb onto the roof of the building. From there, I ran, carefully placing my feet to not make any noise as I darted above everyone's heads. At the first sign of someone noticing me, I dropped down into a tree, timing it so that the rustling could be blamed on the wind. There, I waited, watching. Kept absolutely still. It was not a hard thing to do, when your life had depended on it so much.

"Uther, can you go get your injuries tended to?!" Oh, look, this tree gave me front row seats to Elbert and Uther's little chat. I wondered if the knights had torn the city apart yet. Ah, if only they worked so hard to find the person behind the recent abductions and murders. But no, of course not. Because the victims were all whores and orphans. Why care about them, right? "You're bleeding all over-"

"It's just a head injury, so it looks worse than it is," Uther growled. I eyed him closely, mostly curious at what sort of injury I had managed to score in the split second between 'and so dies the target' and 'shit, this is Uther and I am not paid enough for this'. I noticed two long slices on his face, one going from cheek to cheek, over the bridge of his nose, and the other going from the top-middle of his forehead to the middle of his left eyebrow. Not too bad, I guess. The one of the forehead had meant to be the killing blow, while the one across the face had been to distract him and let me escape when I realized what the hell was going on.

"I don't care. If nothing else, think of poor little Hector when you come back with a face full of blood." The Little Lord, as Ostia adored calling him, was barely a few months old. I doubted he would know anything about blood, much less to be afraid of it. "And if not for Hector's sake, than think of my Eliwood." Pherae's precious prince was even younger than Hector. And he saw 'red' every day thanks to his dad's brilliant hair color. He would probably think some of Elbert's hair had fallen on Uther's face.

"I want that girl found." Haha, I am right above you, and if I was being paid enough, I would totally jump down and finish the job. But I was not, so no killing today. At least, not of heirs. My employer who withheld information, on the other hand… "She might have information that I _need_ , Elbert." Information? Seriously? What did this guy think assassins did? Chat with their employers over tea and crumpets?

"Look, if she's evading all the knights, then I highly doubt you're going to catch her, especially while bleeding buckets from your face."

"But-!"

"You promised to curtail your recklessness so that Hector could grow up with his older brother."

"Bah, use my baby brother against me."

"Yes, just as you use Eleanora and Eliwood against me." His family… seriously, their names all started with 'e'? Was that on purpose? "Now come on. Things are going to scar at this rate."

"Meh, my face was looking too soft anyway. A scar makes me look tough."

"And you'll _really_ look tough with half your face rotting off thanks to infection." Lovely mental image. "Move it!"

"Yes, yes, Elbert." I watched them leave, curious despite myself.

Information he 'needed'? What could he possibly want to learn about?

* * *

"You failed." The voice were dripping with disdain. They matched the lord's sneer as I walked into the hovel he was using as the meeting point. "A pity," he scoffed. I rolled my eyes at how high and mighty he was being. He was the one hiring someone else to do his dirty work, after all. "I had hoped someone of _your_ skills, Huntress…"

"Someone of my skills does not do things for cheap," I retorted. I was tempted to spit in his eye, but decided against it. Was not worth the effort. "Nor does someone of my skills continue a job when the employer withheld information. You are not paying me enough to go after the heir to a Lycian province."

He rolled his eyes. "I am paying you exactly what you deserve."

"That is not how this works. You breached the contract by not informing me of the true identity of the target." I crossed my arms and glared. "You told me he was a 'minor lord'."

"Bah, he might as well be, the scoundrel."

"Does not matter. You broke the contract. Either renegotiate or find another assassin to take up the job." Not that I could think of anyone who would be stupid or desperate enough to take up that job for a measly 3000 gold.

"Tch… damned bitch-daughter of a wench." Oh, how creative. "I will put you in your place!" And the look in his eyes clearly defined what he considered 'my place'. Below a man.

"I am an assassin, a thief of lives, a hunter of the most dangerous prey, as my nickname suggests." I slid a knife out from my sleeve. "And a-hunting I will go~" I loved that nursery rhyme. Nicky and I had sung it often when hunting on the lands.

"What?" I did not know why he was so confused. I clearly stated what I was going to do. But, whatever. Few things were easier than eviscerating a shocked target. "Gah…" And he collapsed, twitching and writhing.

"Oh, poor thing!" I made my tone mocking as I crouched down and smiled into his dying face. "What a mess you made, getting your guts all over the floor!" Casually, I hunted through his pockets, taking anything that looked of value and not an heirloom. "See, this is why you have to be careful. An assassin is only loyal to an employer so long as the contract is in place." I pocketed the things I found and nudged him in the ribs until he was lying on his back. He groaned and gasped. "Have fun bleeding out." I did not care enough to give him a mercy kill. "And enjoy the afterlife."

I stretched as I walked out, wiping off the blood on my dagger before sliding it back to its sheathe. Honestly, what an idiot. Let us see what I grabbed though…

I climbed onto the room, mostly to make sure a child did not walk in on the scene, and emptied my pockets to sort through everything. Gold, gems, some jewelry, a fancy pocketwatch… oh, and a piece of paper? Curious, I unfolded it, noticing the scribbles. 'Need five' and 'deliver to the usual address' and 'He commands it within the next two days'. Strange. Shrugging, I stuck it in my pocket, and poked through the rest of it, organizing it from most to least expensive. That would effect where I sold the things too. I could easily make a good 15000 gold from this. Perfect.

"Miss Mandy?" Confused, I leaned over the edge of the roof and smiled when I saw little Alyssa peering up at me. "Miss Mandy, what are you doing up there?" she called. "The guards are all mad about something, and they're bringing in anyone suspicious."

"I suppose I look very suspicious, huh?" I laughed. Keeping everything organized, I returned everything to my pockets and swung down next to her. "Have you been a good girl?"

"Of course!" She pouted, as if she could be anything else. Then again, she was a sweetheart. Surprisingly so, considering she had been thrown out on the streets when she was a child, and had known no other life than the harsh one of the streets. "Why?"

"Well, I need to sell some pretty things." I took her hand and guided her away from the hovel. "Do you want to come with me, so you can bring the money to your group?"

"Really?" Her eyes lit up. "Miss Mandy, you're the best!" No, I was not. I just could not stand little kids hurting for things not their fault. I killed people for the money to help them. "That'll be perfect! I can't sell flowers with the soldiers all in an uproar."

"I am sorry, Alyssa." She laughed at my words and pressed into my side affectionately. "Come. If there is extra, I will buy you something sweet."

"Yay~!" She laughed again. "I love you!"

"I love you too, Alyssa."

* * *

Selling everything took longer than I thought it would, thanks to having to avoid the guards, and I still had to pass out money and food to the street kids I knew, so I ended up getting 'home' way later than I thought. A small little apartment in the 'red-light district'. There was nothing 'official' about the place, and the knights came in about once a month to 'purge' it of the 'undesirables', but since they were so regular, most of us knew how to escape before things got too bloody.

Sighing, I flopped onto the pile of blankets I called a bed, not even bothering to remove all my daggers. They pressed awkwardly into my hips and legs, but I did not really give a damn at the moment. I just wanted to relax, for a moment.

"Damn it…" I growled, throwing my arms over my face. One of the kids in Alyssa's group, Melanie, was deathly ill. She needed medicine, fast, and I doubted I would be able to get the money to buy it in time. If only I had checked in on them _prior_ to spending everything on food and passing out the rest. "Guess I am going to dip back into basic thieving for a bit." I doubted I could steal the medicine itself, but there were valuables I could swipe and sell. She probably only had a couple of days, so I would have to move fast. "Well, break is over." I swung myself up and stretched. Melanie needed that medicine. So, I needed to get it for her. No one else was caring for them, and Alyssa's flower money was not going to be enough. The rest were too young to get any _safe_ work. So…

Footsteps caught my ear, and I frowned when I realized they were getting closer. Not two seconds later, my door burst open, and someone cloaked swung inside, closing the door behind them. They leaned against it, breathing heavily. I kicked my little table, to make it move, and catch their attention.

"Oh, shit, this place has an owner," they gasped. Their head was still down. "My deepest apologies. I am running from some people, and picked this door at random." They lifted their head to smile at me and I froze. "I will be gone momen… tari…" I was staring right at Uther, heir to Ostia. What in all the bloody hells was he doing here?! "You?" He glanced around. "This is your home?"

"Not anymore, since you know about it," I growled. Well, this was just great. It would take me a while to find a good replacement. "What are you doing here?"

"Right now, I'm debating laughing because I did find you, when all the knights didn't." By accident. Because he had decided to open _this door_ of all the doors in this rotting building. "Though, I did tell you why. I am running from some people."

"Like who?"

"Like my knights because I gave them the slip." He grinned, and it brought attention to his new scars. Someone got the fully healed. "So, let me hide?"

"Someone just tried to have you freaking assassinated, you damn idiot."

"Well, yes, but I was tracking down a lead." He sighed heavily. "Our spy network is ridiculous and inept." I knew that. That was how an assassin or ten could operate in the city easily. "I have to do the work myself if I want to get anything done."

"And that is not my problem." I sighed. "Move out of the way. You can hide here all you like, but I have to work."

"Another assassination?"

"I need money for medicine for a sick child, and the prices are sky high thanks to your father's economic policy, so it is either that or thieving." He looked startled by the words. "What? You did not know? Thanks to it, prices have doubled." And in order to even attempt to make a profit, shopkeepers could only buy back things for _half_ their worth at most.

"…" He dug through his pockets instead, and produced a beautiful white gem. I wondered what kind it actually was. "Will… this give enough to buy it?" Hmm? "The medicine. Will this sell for enough?"

"…Yeah, likely." He smiled softly at my confirmation and tossed it to me. "The hell are you doing?"

"With it? Oh, I carry some in case I get stuck outside the castle and need to pay for an inn." Someone… had clearly snuck out a lot. "And, well… sick child. If I can help, just a little…"

"I am tempted to call you a naïve fool." He simply smiled wryly at the rebuke. "But, I will thank you. She needs it desperately, and if I hurry, the apothecary will still be open."

"Right…" _Now_ he moved out of the way, and let me pass without hesitation. "…Your name." Hmm? "What is your name?"

"You really are a fool if you think I am going to just give it to you." I glanced at him over my shoulder. "They call me 'The Huntress'. That is all you are going to get from me."

I left him behind, racing as fast as I could down the stairs and through the streets. I just had to exchange it for some money, and then I would have the medicine needed. With a bit of luck, I could get it to Melanie tonight even! That… that would be good. Really, really good.

* * *

I breathed a sigh of relief, gently stroking Melanie's hair as she slept peacefully. I had gotten to the apothecary just in time and had given her the medicine. Her fever was already going down. Alyssa had insisted that I just spend the night, and I went along with it, since my home was compromised.

I glanced around the little shack, noticing the badly boarded up walls and ceiling. Once a storehouse, it was now 'home' for a group of ten street children, who banded together in order to increase their chances of surviving. Alyssa 'led' the group, by virtue of being the oldest at twelve years old. The church in town was supposed to serve as an orphanage, but it was overflowing already, so they had to turn their heads at the ones they could not 'save'.

Little murmurs caught my ear and I looked down to Alyssa, curled up in my lap as she slept. "Mama…" she whimpered, reaching out to a ghost. Alyssa's mother had died when she was just three years old. Her father tossed her out. "Mama…" I took her hand, and she clutched it with all the strength a dreaming child could produce. "Mama…"

"Dream of something happier, Alyssa," I whispered. I hummed a lullaby, hoping it would soothe all of them. As I did so, I clutched at my necklace with my free hand. A 'good luck charm', a square pendant with some pattern no one knew anymore. It was old, ancient even, and had been in the family since before it was founded. Nicky really should have been the one wearing it, but when I was disowned, he hooked it around my neck. He would keep the bracelet, and I would wear the necklace. Split the luck. Nicky was always too kind, and cared too little for himself. I was not even sure it worked. Then again, I was alive, despite going from a life of extreme privilege to a life of… well… a life like this. Not many former noblewomen could survive five years of the streets when they did not know much of anything about how the real world worked.

Sighing, this time in a bit of frustration, I tilted my head back, looking up at the stars through a hole in the ceiling. They sparkled in the distance, and I reached up, at if to catch them and bring some of their light a little closer. But of course, my hand closed on nothing. Wishing, hoping, dreaming… what pointless nonsense. Nothing cared about it. No one cared about us, actually.

The people in the streets… we suffer in silence. Everyone in power preferred it that way, and took steps to ensure we could never speak. Though, that did make me all the more curious about Uther. Uther, who had not been afraid when he found himself face to face with the person who tried to kill him just a few hours prior. Uther, who had given a gem, basically money, because he heard a child was sick, without even a name. Gave it to the person who tried to kill him. That… was curious. It made me curious.

Not that it mattered. I highly doubted I would ever see him again. If I did, it would be because I had been caught, or someone had paid me enough to kill him. That… was all there was to it.

Alyssa whimpered again, and I squeezed her hand tightly. I counted the number of children, just to be certain. Ten sleeping bodies. No one in this group had been stolen yet. But the numbers were climbing. People on the street going missing, and then later turning up dead. There was no pattern to the deaths either. Some had their throats cut. Some were decapitated. Some were stabbed. Some were dismembered. The only thing they all had in common was that they had disappeared, and turned up dead a week later.

Honestly, it was not anything new, except for the sheer numbers. If I had heard of all of them, then there were thirty corpses a month.

I shook my head, ridding myself of the thoughts, and squeezed my pendant tightly. Good luck. It was supposed to be good luck. I still did not know if it was luck at all. But it was comforting, and it reminded me that, even when everything was falling apart, I had _one_ person who had still loved me, had still done everything he could for me.

I wished I could write him a letter. He was the lord of the place now, if the rumors were right. Ha… Nicky as a lord… so weird. My last 'real' memory of him was playing with baby Maria while Mark pouted over having to share attention. I wondered how he and Cristina were…

I would just have to listen to rumors. Hanover was not so far from Ostia, after all.

* * *

 _Notes about… me?_

 _Not sure why I am wasting paper like this. Maybe I just… want to record my thoughts. Just in case. Anyway, my name is Amanda. I was once of… well, it does not matter. I was disowned at fourteen because I refused to go along with an arranged marriage. I somehow survived the streets, climbing from killing and stealing for food to simply killing and stealing for a living. I am known as 'The Huntress' to those seeking an assassin, but the street kids love calling me 'Miss Mandy'. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

* * *

Author's notes: Welcome to A Thief's Testimony, a story inspired by Fire Emblem 7x (which is fantastic and fun, and I highly recommend playing what's out so far). So, this story focuses on the 'adults' of the FE7 universe, such as Uther, Elbert, Marcus, Madelyn, Hassar, and others. Since this serves as a 'prequel' to Tactician's Testimony, it is through the POV of an OC featured there, Amanda. Just as I do for a Thief's Legacy, I will be keeping a running log of bios for characters, since half of the main cast are OCs and the other half are technically canon, but they are much, much younger here. I hope you enjoy it.

If you are curious about why Ostia is portrayed as a 'bad' place to live, it is mostly because a) this is 16 years prior to the very start of FE7 (that is, Hector and Eliwood were just born, and Lyn doesn't exist yet) and b) in Oujay's supports with Lilina in FE6, it is shown that in order to avoid starving, his parents had to abandon his little sister, which is almost forty years after this story.

Next Chapter – The Sneaky Lord


	2. Chapter 2) The Sneaky Lord

Chapter 2) The Sneaky Lord

* * *

 _The Lady Hildegard retired from ruling at age forty-five, and traveled about the continent she helped save. She was succeeded by her son, Lord Alberich. He was the one who turned Hanover into the powerhouse it is today, truth be told. Charismatic and cunning, he capitalized on the booming horse market, and studied hard to determine what was 'desired' in them. He also devoted himself to politics, and was the right hand of Saint Elimine's heir: Queen Cheryl, named for a fallen friend._

 _He's also the one who showed the continent that he was not one to mess with. When an assassin attacked his pregnant wife, he found the man who hired them and completely destroyed them in a very public duel. Literally. Limbs flew. The full story is actually really fascinating._

* * *

There… were many things I should be doing. _Many_ things. Things that did not involve me standing in the doorway of the storehouse, staring at a smiling Uther. What the…?

"What in all the hells are you doing here?" I finally blurted, a little stunned. This was an out of the way area. A _very_ out of the way area. What was he doing here? And he definitely came on purpose. No one was this smug over an accidental discovery.

"Fun thing about that gem I gave you," he noted lightly. I scowled, cursing myself for not being more suspicious of that. I had been just desperate to get the money for her. "It's actually coated in a very fine powder, too fine to see without a _lot_ of good light, but is very easily detected via magic. Mother uses it to find me if I'm out and about and there's an emergency in the castle." And he used it to find _me_. "Etrurian mages make the most fascinating things." Damn it.

"I should have suspected there was something more to the situation when you did not try to get more conversation out of the girl who stuck daggers in your face." He simply grinned. " _Especially_ since you just seem to buy my story."

"Now that part was a gamble. I mean; you did _stop_ in your assassination attempt. I was willing to give a benefit of the doubt on a story about a sick orphan." His grin faded for a smile. "How is she doing, by the way?"

"Miss Mandy, I thought you were… oh, hello again, mister!" And there was Alyssa, cheerfully poking her head out behind my legs. "It's good to see you again!" she chirped. I gave him a skeptical look. "He buys lots of my flowers, Miss Mandy. Then he always insists that he gave me the correct amount when he really gave me too much." …Oh. "Anyway, though, I need to go get Melanie some water. I'm so glad the medicine worked."

"Careful out there," I called after her as she skipped away. And then I returned my attention to Uther. "Melanie is the girl. She is doing much better."

"I am glad to hear it," Uther murmured. His smile certainly looked real. "Now, Miss Mandy-"

"You are not allowed to call me that."

"Well, if you gave me a name…"

"I gave you something."

"Huntress is a title. I'd hate it if someone went around calling me 'Lord' all the time."

"Well, Lord…" I smirked as he rolled his eyes. "You want information. I do not have any. Assassins are told the contract and the price. Nothing more and nothing less."

"And how did you know I wasn't just here to ask you out on a date?"

"One, I scarred up your pretty face. Two, I was in the tree above your head when you told that Elbert about needing information." I laughed at his blank expression. "So, sorry, but-"

"But there are things you can tell me." I have him the dirtiest look in reply. "I will also remind you that with one yell, I can have the guard here."

…Oh, you have got to be… "You sneaky son of a tied down bitch."

"Hey!" Well, now he was scowling. "Insult me all you want, but let's leave my mother out of this, yes?" Fine. Sure. Would not have pegged him for a mama's boy. "So, if I may have a bit of your time, I am very curious about the person who hired you. I mean; he _did_ try to kill me."

"Do not have a name, and he is dead." Still, I sighed and finally shut the door behind me. There was no point in continuing to scare the kids. "His corpse might still be in the hovel, though. It is not exactly an area where people frequent."

"Excellent place to start." He offered me his arm, but I walked on past him. "Come now. You can stand to be a little friendlier."

"You have my cooperation for now thanks to your threat. You have not given me enough compensation to be _friendly_." I glared at him over his shoulder. "What happened to that 'lead' you were pursuing a few days ago?"

"I hit a dead end, meaning you're my only one now." How thrilling. "What a lovely day it is."

It was completely cloudy, with barely any bit of sunshine. "It would be better without you."

"Ouch, that's a bit rude." He grinned when I gave him _another_ glare. "Well, I suppose I was too. Where's the hovel?"

"It is over here." I pointed to it as we approached. I did not like that it had been so close to where Alyssa and her group were currently staying. I really did not. " _If_ the body is still here…" I wrinkled my nose as I opened the door. Yep. Still here. "Looks like no one noticed the smell yet."

I nearly laughed when he started hacking and gagging, covering his nose and mouth with a handkerchief. " _Why_ does it smell so bad?" he groaned, still coming closer. "Why?"

"Things tend to loosen in death, so some things leak out." I shrugged at his grimace. "Plus, bodies rot. You rarely have a pretty little corpse. In death, all are equal."

"Poetic."

"You are the one who wanted to see the body."

"Yes, I am beginning to regret charging forward." Not my problem. "All right…" Visibly steeling his nerves, he came to stand beside me. And gagged again. "Why is he bloated and maggot infested?"

"Corpses often bloat. As for the maggots, flies need to eat too, and it is warm. Things tend to rot faster when it is warm, and the flies grow faster." I think.

"You are very nonchalant about this."

"It is very hard to react when you have seen hundreds of the same thing." You also just got tired of screaming eventually. I think I stopped reacting three years ago. There had been a really bad bout of illness, and bodies had just been _everywhere_. "Ostia is not kind to those without pretty little houses."

"I seem to have underestimated the extent of this." Visibly steeling himself again, he stepped closer to the body. "Why are his guts hanging out?"

"I eviscerated him, and then left him to die." I leaned against the doorframe, and thought he was grateful for the gloves he wore as he poked at the body, trying to place who is was. Well, he had courage. I would give him that.

"That seems a little excessive."

"I did not care enough." I smiled wryly. "He is just a man who tried to attack me, so I simply left him to die. That is not uncommon out here on the streets."

"It still seems a little excessive." He turned his head away to cough again, but stubbornly returned to what he was doing. Again, I was impressed. "It's not something I would expect from someone who takes care of orphans."

"I am not a nice person. I take care of the kids because I hate the idea of little kids suffering for something that is not their fault, and I am reminding myself that I do still have a heart." I sighed. "It is just a bit of trickery for myself."

"I am still willing to gamble on you. Even if it is a bit of trickery, it shows signs of a good heart, and you clearly have some sort of honor or pragmatic system, since you did not kill me."

"He paid me a 3000 gold for the contract. It was not enough."

"Well, I am glad to know I am worth more than that." He was _still_ poking at the body, going through the pockets. It reminded me that I had stolen everything I could already. But, really, it just made me curious.

"What are you even trying to find?" I might as well ask. "Why do you need information?"

"There have been _thirty_ deaths in this month alone, and this is a pattern that has been escalating for at _least_ four months." …He… he was talking about…? "Father wants to investigate, but there's been unusual aggression in some of the other provinces, meaning he has his hands full trying to prevent a civil war that will severely escalate the death count." I could only stare in shock. "Mother wanted to look into it herself, but she's recovering from giving birth to Hector. So, I offered to do it for her. Probably a bit reckless, but she was sobbing, and it is disgusting that there are so many people dead, so many _children_ dead, and the city guard isn't doing a damned thing."

"…That is because they are whores and orphans."

"They're _people_!" He twisted to actually glare at me. "They're people who died horribly. I want to find the sick persons who did it to them, and hold them accountable." There was a tense moment of silence before I just… started laughing. "…I fail to see the humor in this."

"I find it _hilarious_ that there is actually someone in power willing to help." My smile was probably too wide. "Nobles do not pay attention to the kids starving in the streets. They are beneath notice, and unless something opens their eyes, it is very rare they ever change." I was like that. In Hanover, I never once glanced down because I was too busy holding my nose up in the air and throwing fits because my shoes did not match my dress. "So, I find it hilarious."

"…I wish it wasn't so surprising to you." He looked sad. That… that made me mad, actually.

"I do not need pity." I scowled at his startled look. "It is a dark life, and a messy one where I am one step away from being the same kind of monster that kills all these people. But it is mine. I made it myself, with no help from anyone. I did what it took to survive. I do not need or want pity."

"I didn't mean..." I glared until he just went back to examining the body.

As he did so, though, I remembered there was one thing I had grabbed from him that I could not sell. I hunted through my pockets and found the note again. It was awkward, but if he really was looking into these murders, then... "Hey."

"Hmm?"

"This note was on him when I killed him. I forgot about it before, but-" He immediately bolted for my side. "Oh, tired of poking corpses?"

"Extremely," he deadpanned. He took care to remove his glove before taking the paper from me. "You killed the lord of Laus, by the way."

"That means the lord of Laus wanted you dead for a measly 3000 gold." I paused. "Wait, where is Laus?"

"It's sort of central in Lycia, to the west of the _actual_ central province: Caelin." He frowned over the note. "Size wise, it's comparable to Ostia, Araphan, and Pherae, but in terms of power, it's… fifth. Ostia and Pherae are the strongest, followed by Araphan and Caelin."

"Why is it not stronger?"

"Well, Caelin is the richest." Ah, of course, money talked quite loudly. The lords and ladies of it must be quite the spoiled brats. "Hausen is also very crafty and has strong alliances with all the provinces, meaning that anyone who threatens Caelin will pull the country into civil war. And Araphan is just bigger." He sighed, frowning. "I can't make heads or tails out of this note. But it greatly worries me." He pocketed it, shaking his head. "Oh. Great. I have to tell Darin that his father is dead. That's not going to be fun."

"Send a guard to do it."

"No, Darin and I might not get along most days, but it is better to deliver this news in person. I can investigate the castle while I'm at it." ...While I applauded the quick thinking there, I thought he might be forgetting the whole 'the former lord tried to have him killed' part that made that castle automatically dangerous. "So, let's…" He paused when I held up my hand. "What is it?"

"Shh… there is shouting." I tilted my head towards the sound. That sounded like… "I think some bodies have been discovered."

"…Will you help me find them?"

"…" I looked right at him. "How serious are you about finding out what is going on?"

He looked right back, eyes unwavering. "Very."

"Even if it involves nobles? Will you still…?"

"Depending on the noble, it is possible I will have to keep it _quieter_ , but I do not intend on letting them get off with anything, even a 'lesser' punishment." His eyes hardened. "Whoever it is will receive a punishment that is suitable to the crime, if I have to rewrite the laws to ensure it."

"…" Slowly, I smiled. If he was serious… if he was _actually_ serious, then… "Then, yes, I will lead you to where the shouting is coming from." I turned away, leaving the hovel. "Keep up, though. I am not stopping for you."

* * *

The shouts came from the river. Three bodies had been dragged out. They were bound, tied to rocks, with bruises around the ropes on their wrists and ankles. They were bloated, the skin blanched and blotched, pruning especially on the palms of the hands. If I had to take a guess, all three had drowned, not simply been thrown in to hide a body. Their eyes, wide and glistening, screamed they had not been _unconscious_ when thrown in either.

One of the three was a whore I had seen working the streets before. I had given her a bit of candy last week, and encouraged her to join up with a brothel for protection. She said she would think about it. The other two were children, both boys, I had seen running errands for the butcher. I had played with them two weeks ago, and had tried to get them to stay with Alyssa. They had insisted they would be fine.

"…When I find who is responsible, I am seriously contemplating just throwing in them in the waters by Dread Isle and letting them drown in the fast currents," Uther growled. We were standing by the river, him keeping his hood up to prevent being recognized. Of course, there were not a lot of people here. It was mostly just other whores and kids, who found the body and identified them. "Would it… be wrong to ask to look more closely?"

"Hey, guys?" I called to the group. They looked at me suspiciously, but then smiled slightly when they realized who I was. I was known well enough that they were willing to give me what little trust they gave anyone. "You mind if my friend and I look a little closer?"

"No, go ahead, Huntress," one answered, a whore I had seen with the deceased a lot. Her makeup was running, and her nose ran horribly. I reached up to mop of the mess with my sleeve, but Uther reached past me to give her a handkerchief. "Oh, th-thank you…" She covered her face with it. "Um… Huntress…"

"As soon as we are done, I will get the bindings off and everyone can take them to be buried."

"Thank you. We'll just…" She gestured vaguely in a direction, still hiding her face. "P-please, be gentle…" Slowly, she herded the group away, leaving Uther and I alone with the bodies.

"I imagine most of their items washed away." I glanced back and saw Uther was already kneeling by the bodies. He was using his still gloved hand to press gently against the bodies. "Damn, what a way to go," he whispered sadly. "They had to have been terrified."

"Most people are when they die," I informed him. "That is how you get people like me. They became so scared that they became willing to do whatever it took." I knelt by the bodies too, wondering if I could just… close their eyes. The one thing I could never get used to about dead bodies were the eyes staring at me. I always thought they were accusing me. 'Why me and not you?' or 'Why did you kill me?' depending on the situation. I did not really have an answer that satisfied those dead eyes. "Well, here they are. Any particular reason why you wanted to see them?"

"Well, at first, I thought there might be some sort of clue." He brushed back one of the dead children's hair, hand shaking slightly. "I am not as hopeful since they had been in the river, but I still want to see. Stranger things have happened."

"I see." This… was not really something I had experience with. I looted corpses. I did not try to figure out how they died. I could not care, not if I had wanted to live. Still, I carefully ran my fingers over the body, looking for anything that seemed 'odd'. It was not my hands that found anything though. It was my eyes, as the clouds above parted for a brief bit of sunshine, that caught the cling of _something_ in the whore's hands. "Uther."

"Mmm?" I pointed and his eyes widened. "Help me pry it out." I held the hands still as he went to work. It was not long before he pulled out two rings. Two _signet_ rings, based on what I could see under all the gunk coating them. "Covered in muck…" But I could tell they were expensive. That was not something a whore would be carrying for long. She had to have grabbed it from… "A note and two signet rings. This is a _highly_ successful day." His light tone belied his frown. "Now, if I can just… string them together…" Movement caught my eye, and I jerked my head up. "What's wrong?" There, on the opposite shore, was someone aiming an arrow right at our heads. "Hey, what is…?" I shoved him down and rolled out of the way. One arrow flew over his head. Another thudded into where I had been. Different trajectories meant there was another hiding somewhere. "What the…?"

"Go hide," I growled, running down the shore to find an easier spot to jump across. The ground gave and I splashed my foot. I grimaced at the feeling of mud as I ran after the escaping archers. No shoes and mud just… just did not feel right no matter how many times it happened. But I kept on running. If these people shot us, then maybe they were involved. If they were… if they were, well, the hunt was _on_.

They tried ducking into the woods to escape, but I kept at them. I hated the woods. Too many rock dug into my feet, and snapping twigs drove splinters in. But I still had them within my sights. This was where I wish I knew anything about knife-throwing, but I… really did not. Throwing my daggers at this point would just result in me losing my weapons. So, it was just a matter of chasing them and… and… and someone split one of their skulls with an axe, and crushed the other's windpipe. Um…

"There we go." …Uther?! What in all the hells?! "Help me loot them?" he asked. I nodded dumbly and crouched down to snatch up anything and everything that looked valuable or useful on the bodies.

"How did you find us?" I whispered, pocketing everything I could. What did not fit, I handed to him. "I mean…"

"Same way I found you this morning." …Oh. "By the way, it's this." He pulled out a little crystal from his pocket. It glowed in the dark, and when I hovered my hand over it, I found it was warm. "It's experimental. Or maybe Mother just commissioned it from Reglay's magic academy. I don't know. It's magic, and it works nicely, and it's all I care about for now."

"And until that powder comes off, you can find me no matter what." I glanced down at the archers. "Ambush?"

"I have learned how to move at least relatively quiet." He leaned on his axe, though, shaft on the ground. "Most of the time, I have to be sneaky in my attacks to not blow my cover, and to also not get a knife in my gut." Oh. "Hey, though, do you mind if I make a proposition?"

"…And that would be?"

"Work for me on this case?" …Uh… "You know the area, and honestly, much as it does concern me, your ability to kill quickly, and to not balk at dead bodies is really useful in a situation like this." Uh-huh… "You're also fast, and you are trusted _enough_ by the people that I am trying to help. People that will not help me easily because I am an outsider."

"…I tried to kill you."

"And I shall bear the scars for the rest of my life, however long or short it is. But you just saved my life too." He shrugged. "It's a gamble. I won't lie and pretend I'm magically trusting you. Elbert is like that; I am often more suspicious. But I like making quick decisions, and what I've seen makes me think that the best chance I've got is with your help. For that reason, I am willing to gamble and trust you."

"…If I agree to this, then you cannot give up. No matter how hard it gets, or what has to be done…" He nodded and I held out my hand. "Then… all right. I will gamble on you, and you will gamble on me, and we will see if we both win the jackpot."

"Sounds good." He took my hand and shook it. "And when this is over, you get to name your price. I don't want to set one now since who knows what we're getting into."

"Well, well, you _do_ know how to talk to an assassin." I let go of his hand and hesitated before adding, "Amanda."

"Hmm?"

"My name. It is Amanda."

"How pretty." He smiled warmly. "Then let's hunt down a psychopath, Amanda."

"Well, you are talking to right woman." I hummed a little. "A-hunting we will go~"

"Nursery rhymes?"

"I like it. I hum it when I am on a job." He gave me an incredulous look. "Want to back out because of how creepy I am?"

"No, I just think I will develop a lifelong hatred of nursery rhymes." I simply laughed. "Well, let's get going. I want to make sure they got the bodies."

"All right."

* * *

 _People_

· _Amanda, me. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. I have no idea how to throw them, and never attempted to learn for fear of losing my weapons. Because I spent five years on the streets, I have lost my hesitancy about killing and am inured to dead bodies in general. To keep myself from becoming a monster, I take care of the street kids. I'm particularly fond of Alyssa and Melanie. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· _Uther, the heir to Ostia. In terms of political power, he's about equal to a 'prince', but he corrects people quickly about that term, since Lycia has no kings or princes. He's sneaky and a jerk sometimes, and thinks fast. Maybe too fast. But he's looking into the recent murders at his mother's request while his father tries to keep the country from fracturing, and I get the sense that he does truly care for his people, even the ones people normally ignore. For that reason, I am gambling on trusting him. Wields axes. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

* * *

Author's Notes: I do promise that there's not extensive forensic and/or corpse things in every chapter. But since this plot focuses around murders… there is some in _this_ chapter. The murder of the three people is actually based on a real-life murder of Joan Rogers and her two daughters in 1989. The case was actually one of the first uses of billboards by law enforcement to solve cases, I think.

Uther's in-game data in FE7 shows that he is a general, with an S rank in axes, so that's his main weapon here. Uther's age is assigned arbitrarily.

Next Chapter – Partners


	3. Chapter 3) Partners

Chapter 3) Partners

* * *

 _The friendship between Queen Cheryl and Lord Alberich was legendary. Even now, it's a source of songs. Most of them go into how they had an affair, despite there being no evidence to it. In fact, if you look into records from that time, you got how devoted the two were to their spouses._

 _A lot of people use the explanation of how, during a bloody attack on the castle, Queen Cheryl ran to Lord Alberich instead of her own husband as their justification. I think those people ignore how her husband died in that attack, and then just like punishing her for going to a living person who could keep her, and her children, safe._

* * *

I… had boots. I had boots again. I also had clean, new clothes that I did not have to steal. This was weird. This was incredibly weird. Also, Uther looked like he was debating laughing and calling a healer.

"I take it you like Mother's gifts?" he finally said, settling for laughing. I did not reply, just carefully walking, enjoying the feel of having _shoes_ and non-scratchy clothing. "She'll be thrilled." Yes, this was all because of his mother. After agreeing to work together, we had separated for the night, and then he had come by the old storehouse in the morning to bring me to the castle to discuss things. That led to meeting his mother, a sweet and tired thing, who had immediately snagged me for boots and clothing. I had no idea why. "Hello, you in there?"

"Yes, I am here," I finally turned to face him, giving him a look. "I was waiting for you to say something meaningful. Not sure why."

"Ow, rude." He leaned back in his chair, and gestured to the other chair at the table. I deliberately ignored the indication. "What? Is the chair so displeasing?"

"It is the height of impropriety for a lady to sit in a man's personal chambers."

"…What do you know about propriety?" A lot more than him, apparently. "And isn't that rule more that ladies shouldn't be _in_ the rooms?"

"It depends on the country." Etruria allowed noblewomen to be _in_ a nobleman's room, but to sit would be seen as an 'invitation'. Standing implied that the visit was simply business. "There are different rules of etiquette for different countries."

"Ugh, don't remind me." He groaned, leaning further back in his chair, tipping it onto its back legs. "I had to be in Etruria for some conference not long ago and there was smoking when it was just us guys." Ah, that. I remembered Nicky complained about it. He did not have a taste for it, but had to have one for society. "They looked appalled when I refused, and they glared daggers at the poor girl who came in to deliver a message, for some reason."

"It is improper for a man to smoke in the presence of a lady. They probably put out all their cigars."

"Yeah, they did." He sighed, and I tilted my head as I tried to figure out how he had not fallen yet. "Then there was the dinner party. I was given the weirdest looks for arriving _on time_."

"It is required for guests to arrive fifteen minutes late."

"Then why not schedule the party for that time?" There was this term 'fashionably late'. I was certain Etruria invented it. "Then there was the awkward procession, the _ten courses_ , and the fact that I apparently had to converse with the lady on my _right_ , and never on my left." That was to ensure a good and steady source of gossip. "And the _balls_! So tedious!" I had always found them fun. I could not wait to be 'presented' as a young girl.

"Let me guess. You also had to deal with polite glares when you removed your gloves during a call." His response was to simply groan. "I thought so. For the record, keeping your gloves _on_ is the height of rudeness in Bern."

"Seriously, how do you know so much about this stuff?" He let the chair rock forward, resting his elbows on the table. That, also, would have gotten him in trouble in Etruria. "I don't."

"…I did not always live on the streets. You can tell by how few scars I have."

"Ah." I could tell he was curious. But I could also see him bite the words back, and instead, he changed the subject. "Those rings are proving difficult to clean," he said instead. I gave him a small smile in reply, as silent thanks, and he smiled right back. "It isn't _impossible_. Hopefully, it will be done by the end of the day."

"So, you want suggestions of where to look today?" I asked, crossing my arms and rocking back on my heels slightly. My fingers twitched to open the window, as it was far too… confined in here, but this was his room. It would be beyond rude. "Well, I do actually have an idea."

"Excellent!" He stood up, and already went to get a cloak. To my surprise, he pulled out one for me as well. "Mother said that if we head outside, you are to wear one of her old ones."

"…You have a very kind and gentle Mother." I took the cloak, eyeing it skeptically. "But I imagine she is where you inherited your 'make a decision for everyone involved' mentality."

"Ouch." Still, when I had difficulties tying the cloak, he reached over to fix it. Lycian cloaks buttoned differently than Etrurian, and did not rely on a pin to hold it shut. "So, where are we going?"

"You shall see when we get there." I could not help but grin evilly. "Oh, and be sure to bring a heavy purse. You are going to have to pay for their time."

* * *

It turned out Uther had an adorable side after all. He shuffled awkwardly, eyes firmly on the floor, face turning a distinct pink tone. All because I had dragged him inside a brothel. Now, to be fair, it was one of the ones that doubled as a tavern, so the girls and guys that worked here were meandering about the 'main floor', in various states of undress. But it was still rather adorable to me.

"I take it you are one of those rare lords that does not frequent places like this," I teased. I laughed when he lifted his head _just_ enough to give me a glare. "Come along. We need to walk. Oh, and do not let anyone take you into the back. You are just handsome enough for some of the drunker clients to try and buy your time."

"Just enough?" he noted dryly. He stuck close to my side as we walked through. "I don't look _that_ bad, do I?"

"Well, the scars do give you an air of mystery." I grinned and he rolled his eyes. "Just don't get separated."

"I have no intentions of it." He eyed the clients warily. "It's not even noon yet."

"Some people really like morning sex." Now, where was… oh, there she was. I forgot she worked the bar in the mornings. "Their spouses are gone for the day too, so they can more easily sneak down here." Strangely, he scowled at that. "You do know affairs exist, right?"

"Yes. I have a half-brother." …I had not known that. "A half-brother I love to bits, once I was actually _told_ about him, but while Mother might have forgiven Father for that break of trust, I will not. I saw how much she cried." Oh, so he had a much stronger bond with his mother than his father.

"Actually told?"

"Orun was _eight_ when I discovered his existence. On accident. That was also when Mother found out."

Well, that seemed awkward. "How old were you?"

"Nine." Perhaps this was why it had taken so long for Uther to get a 'legitimate' brother. I also guessed that, like Bern, and unlike Etruria, divorces and marriage annulment were not something nobles _could_ do here. "Who are we looking for?"

"Relax, she is mostly clothed." Though, Debra was wearing that dress of hers that looked like it was showing more than it actually did today. "Hey there."

"Oh, if it isn't my favorite thief and assassin~?" Debra immediately cooed. Her smile was warm, though her eyes _immediately_ darted for Uther. "Oh, my, and who's your friend?"

"Partner, Debra," I corrected immediately. This was a business thing. "We're partners."

"Congrats on getting hitched~"

"Not _that_ kind. You know I am never getting married." Sighing, I sat on one of the stools, and tugged Uther down for him to do the same. "Now, are you on-duty or _on-duty_?"

"Are you wanting to buy my services?" Debra grinned and batted her eyes. "Oh my stars and garters, how thrilling! I imagine you are quite good with your hands~"

"You can keep imagining. Let us also tone it down before he has an apoplexy." I pointed to Uther's very red face for emphasis. "I still need him alive and capable of thinking."

"Fine, fine~" Debra laughed and picked up three glasses from the back. "Since this sounds so serious, you can buy me a drink."

"Sounds good." I nudged Uther's leg. "What do you want? The place has decent stuff."

"I… don't suppose there's whiskey?" Uther tentatively asked. I noticed he was very careful to look only at Debra's face. "If not, then I'll just… take what you recommend, miss."

"Oh, he's a proper one," Debra laughed. She worked on his drink. "You're in luck, pal. We're the only place in the red-light district that has whiskey. We're also the only one that has Huntress's favorite alcohol, which is how she and I became acquainted."

"And what's that?"

"Absinthe." Specifically, I liked it with sugar water; Debra already had it set up. "She's got weird tastes."

"…Doesn't that have a high alcohol content?"

"If she gets drunk, I've never seen it." That… that was mostly because I skipped the 'drunk' part and went straight to the 'hangover' part. Grandfather had that problem too, so I think it was just something I inherited. It was not fun. "Anyway, here we go~" She set down our drinks, and dragged a chair over to sit down too. "So, what's up? It's rare you're here this early."

"Well, truthfully, we are here for information," I explained. I smiled when I sipped the drink. It was as good as always. "Namely, the recent murders."

Debra's cheerfulness dropped like a rock. "Why do you want information about that?" she asked sullenly. She fiddled with her drink, eyes darting to the side. "No one is doing shit about them."

"I am hoping to change that," Uther whispered. He leaned a little forward, smiling gently. "I never gave you my name, Miss Debra. It's Uther."

"You're-?!" She squeaked when I reached over to cover her mouth. I could feel the stares burning into our backs as she flailed, but slowly, she calmed down, and I uncovered her mouth, returning to my drink. "What are _you_ doing here?" she hissed. Her wide eyes darted to me, but I focused simply on drinking. "I mean… um…"

"As I said. I'm hoping to do something about the murders." He laughed a little at her skeptical look. "Look, is there any reason why she would be with me?" He pointed to me. "You know her well enough, right?"

"…True…" She sighed, and downed her drink in one go. "Okay, okay, what do you want to know? Not that I know much."

Uther glanced at me, deferring, and I nodded. "The girl who was pulled from the river," I began slowly. Debra shuddered, hugging herself tightly. "I remember trying to convince her to come here."

"Yeah, and she did," Debra whispered. Her eyes filled with tears. "She was so happy at coming and joining. She said she just had one job to do, and then she would move in. But then I never saw her again."

"Do you know anything about the person she was meeting?"

"A bit. He came to pick her up from here." Uther and I exchanged an incredulous look at that. "He was dressed nicely, and had this very peculiar hat. It had a feather in it." A… feather? Really? "It was distinctive, and when I told some of the others about it, they mentioned they had seen him at the arena a lot." She bit her lip, eyes shut. "If I think about it, I might be able to get more, but I hadn't paid much attention."

"So, the man with the feathered cap might be our next lead," Uther murmured. He sipped his drink, eyes thoughtful. "Arena, huh? Well, I suppose that's our next stop." I guess so. I avoided that place like the plague. There were too many guards to really be successful in stealing or assassinating there. "You have my thanks, Miss Debra. If you remember anything else…"

"I will figure out a way to get it to Huntress here," she promised. She opened her eyes, and they were deathly serious. "You get them. Whoever those sickos are, you get them. I don't care if you have to go outside the law to kill them. What they've done is… not even Saint Elimine would forgive them for it."

"I will do everything I can. They will answer for this. I promise." Uther smiled slightly. "Also, you are an excellent bartender. This is the best whiskey I've had in a while."

"…Flatterer." Still, it was enough to get her smiling again. "Look after Huntress, will you? She's all tough, but she can be surprisingly fragile." Hey! I was right here, damn it!

"I promise." Oh, forget this. I was just going to drink the rest of my drink and pretend they weren't here.

* * *

"Is… is there a particular reason why we went back to the castle for me to change clothes?" I asked awkwardly. I clung to Uther's arm, grimacing at all the people. Normally such a thing would be great, but I could see the guards keeping sharp eyes, and sharper swords, for any would-be pickpockets. One poor kid had already nearly lost his hand. Arenas were not a place you did things illegal. "I liked what I was wearing before. It was simple and did not make me stand out."

"If you'll look around, you'll notice that 'simple' would stand out," Uther pointed out. I grimaced at how right he was. But I still felt like… it felt like I was 'between' things. These clothes were not as fancy as I wore as a noblewoman, but they were too fancy for the 'Huntress' who had made her life on the streets. I did not like being 'between'. I was one or the other. I could not be both. "Hmm… interesting fighters today…"

"I thought we were here to see if we spotted that damned feathered hat."

"We are, but if we don't gamble, we'll look odd."

"…Is this revenge for how amused I was at the brothel?"

"No, but I _am_ enjoying it nonetheless." He grinned and I scowled. "So, we'll bet, and mingle. You are my shy wife, and I'm trying to win a bit of extra money to buy you a gift for our anniversary."

"I cannot believe you came up with that story on the fly." Still, I pressed into his side, tilting my head down. It was not a hard image for me to replicate. What little memories I had of my mother had her being shy, frail, and hopelessly in love with my father. I just had to mimic her. I used to do it all the time.

"It's a bit of a gift."

"That is a fancy way of saying you are a born liar."

"You have such a sharp tongue." Still, he grinned down at me. "Now, to place our bets!"

"…You are enjoying this. Have you fought before?"

"No, I am not _that_ reckless. I am the heir, after all. But gambling is fun, if you are careful to not go overboard."

"…If you do, I am informing your mother straightaway."

"That… that is a serious threat." He shifted to shield me as someone started flailing, sloshing their drink around and making it spill. "Bets, now. Then we shall watch and see if our prey is flitting about."

"You are having too much fun with this." I sighed at his grin. "Let us get this over with."

Uther went to place a bet, and I appropriately squeaked and hid when the worker complimented him of 'his pretty wife'. From there, we went to the stands to watch the matches. I noticed that, unlike Etruria, they did not open the matches with fighting lions, but just jumped straight into fighting people.

It still had people screaming for blood and death. They cheered as the fighters crushed each other's heads with swords soaked in grease and blood. Roared like beasts when a winner crushed his opponent's flesh even when they no longer moved. Some things were consistent no matter what country you were in. I used to do the same, thinking this was a grand fun.

All I could focus on now was how _young_ some of them were. There were _children_ down there, likely hoping for a bit of money to not starve, if they had not just been sold to the arena in the first place.

So, instead, I looked through the crowd, hunting for the feathered hat. And then, sometime during the final match, I saw it. The feathered cap. I nudged Uther in the side, and pointed when he glanced at me. Without a word, the two of us made our way out of the stands, towards the feathered cap.

We caught him as he was leaving the spectator ring entirely. "My pardon," Uther called to him. The man glanced at us and his eyes widened. "I would like-HEY!" And he was running.

"Well, I guess it is time for a chase," I whispered, sighing a bit. Well, at least I would get some play time today. "Shall we?"

I gave him my most incredulous look. "Just watch." And I was off, easily leaving him behind. Heels were not very _comfortable_ , but with a decent balance, they were not all that hard to run in. I used to practice all the time, and things were only a little awkward considering that I had not done this is a while.

Besides, all I had to do was run _enough_. I had to run to catch him. And, once I had him, it was just one well-placed stomp later to completely break his foot and make him incapable of getting away. He flopped down on the floor, and when I saw him reach for the knife on his belt, I stomped on his hand. And… had to remove the heel because it was lodged in said hand. Oops.

"Do I even want to know?" Uther asked when he finally caught up. "By the way, we won the betting pool. We'll be dining out tonight so I don't have to explain where all the money came from."

"Yeah, yeah," I replied, nudging the guy. His hat went flying when he fell, and he glared murderously at us. "So…"

"You do know that the only things he is 'guilty' of is that he was the last person a murder victim was seen with, right?" Mmm… I guess so. I just had not wanted him to get away, and I had not wanted to deal with that knife. "Hey, I'm sorry about my friend." Uther crouched down, smiling winningly. "If you can answer a few questions for me, I'll make sure she doesn't break anything else, _and_ get you to a healer." The man continued glaring. "I could, however, leave you to her mercy. She still has another heel." The man closed his eyes and sighed, nodding. "Excellent. Now, let's… okay, first thing is getting the heel out of your hand. Why is it _in_ his hand?"

"Large amount of force in a small area results in a large amount of pressure. It is simple physics." I stepped back to give them room. "Shall I go collect the winnings?"

"Yeah, go ahead."

"I shall be right back." With a wave, I left, kicking off my other heel as I went.

Now, if he just had a lead…

* * *

"So, he had spent the night with her, and in the morning, his patron had caught them and had arrested her for prostitution?" I summarized. We were back at the castle, where I changed back into my preferred clothing and shoes and Uther had questioned the man, and were now in Uther's study. I think he picked that room so I could sit. "Who is the patron? And why did he run."

"The Marquess of Thria, and there are some dark rumors about him," Uther murmured. "He ran because he hadn't paid the entrance fee, and thought we were getting him for that." He drummed his fingers on his desk, frowning heavily. "Thria is on the way to Laus, or can be." He glanced at me. "How up are you for traveling?"

I hesitated. I had agreed to help, but… "I… am worried about the children."

"I can bring in the group you are staying with into the castle proper, and prod Father into pushing ahead those new orphanages being built." His face softened slightly. "It is not a perfect solution, I know, but…"

"It does ease my mind some." I smiled wryly. "Thank you."

"Partners. And I will need you at your best." He paused. "But that does remind me. Let's try to not break bones for people we don't know for _sure_ are guilty?"

"I was simply incapacitating him."

"Knock them out or something that is a little less obviously 'I hold your life in my hand'."

"It got you what you wanted quickly."

"Yeah, and he ranted half the time about you being a monster."

"I do not care."

"Yes, you do. You wouldn't take steps to try and avoid it otherwise." …I could not refute that. "Though, I am curious as to how you broke his foot so easily."

"It is not that hard. Truly, the body is more fragile than it looks." I gave him my best smile. "I can snap your elbow with a quick twist, easily."

"…Note to self. Avoid making you mad."

"Oh, yes, do not. I have a horrible temper."

"How horrible?"

"You have not seen me angry yet, and you have seen what I do." I smiled wryly at how nervous he looked. "Want to back out?"

"No. Like I said, I'm trusting you." His smile softened. "Just, for the future, if all they're doing is running… maybe just bruise something." I was very tempted to roll my eyes at that, but decided it was probably better to just nod. "Thank you. Now, if they're fighting, have at it. And teach me that elbow snapping trick." Ha! "Regardless, though, the signet rings are finally cleaned." Oh? "Here." He reached back to a bowl sitting on a shelf and picked up the rings. "I didn't recognize either seal."

But I… I recognized one. "That is a cluster of three hyacinth blossoms. If they were colored, they would be blue, purple, and white." Despite my best efforts, my hands shook when I picked it up, holding it to the light so I could confirm I wasn't imagining things. But I wasn't. "It belongs to the Etrurian House Kerinei."

" _Etruria_?" His eyes widened when I nodded. "What's _that_ doing in the hands of a murder victim?"

"I do not know. But I do know that it has to be someone from the main house. The base is silver, and that is _only_ used…"

"For those of the main house. Meaning someone pawned it, or someone of the main line of a _Etrurian house_ is involved in the killings here in _Lycia_." This… just got complicated. "You knew it instantly. Was it…?"

"No, it was not my house." Hanover's crest was two chrysanthemums, red and white. All Etrurian houses were marked by flowers. "I was supposed to marry into it, though." I set the ring back on the table. "It was an arranged marriage, decided by my grandfather when I was a baby. I was content in listening to him, but my fiancé…" I shuddered, remembering just how cold he had been. There had always been something off about his eyes. Like he was trying to devour the people he was looking at. "I thought I was being too sensitive, just jittery because I was going to marry him. But then two of my dearest friends told me they were _scared_ of me marrying him." Cristina and Hellene thought there was something wrong too. That gave me the courage to confront Grandfather about it, but then… "…I am sorry. I do not…" I cannot _believe_ I just rambled all that. Seeing that crest must have rattled me even more than I would have thought.

"Okay." Uther's smile was kind. He reached over, likely to pat my shoulder or hand reassuringly, but when I flinched back, he immediately retracted his hand. "Any ideas what the other is?"

I picked up the other one, forcing myself to focus on the present. I was no longer 'Lady Amanda', and it would be better for me to forget I ever was. Grandfather had made that all too clear. "The fact that it is a bird suggests it is Bernese." But I could not, for the life of me, identify the bird. They all always looked the same to me. In lessons, I had depended on colors to identify them. "Lycia uses four-legged animals for theirs, right? Like Pherae using a rearing horse?"

"And Ostia using a howling wolf." He gave me an incredulous look. " _Bernese_?"

"Yes?" …It took a second to click. "Oh, you have got to be kidding me." This… just got complicated. "…Okay, I do not want a war, but…"

"I will keep my promise. This just might have to be kept quieter than I would like." He sighed, leaning back in his chair. "Okay, let's just plan for going to Thria and Laus. We'll… ah… figure out what to do about the signet rings later." Part of me wanted to just charge, but I told that part to shut up. We simply _could not_.

So, instead, I shifted my chair a little closer to the desk and leaned forward to listen. "What are your ideas?"

"Well, I was thinking…"

* * *

 _People_

· _Amanda, me. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. I have no idea how to throw them, and never attempted to learn for fear of losing my weapons. Because I spent five years on the streets, I have lost my hesitancy about killing and am inured to dead bodies in general. To keep myself from becoming a monster, I take care of the street kids. I'm particularly fond of Alyssa and Melanie. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia. In terms of political power, he's about equal to a 'prince', but he corrects people quickly about that term, since Lycia has no kings or princes. He's a skilled liar, but does not know how to react when in a brothel. He has a half brother named Orun, and the secrecy surrounding said half-brother led to him being closer to his mother than his father. Wields axes. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

* * *

Author's note: Like in Thief's Legacy, I will mark when bios change with (**).

Hyacinth is a very pretty flower, imo, which is actually a bit poisonous. I believe it is just the bulb, and that you need protective gloves when handling them, but I could be wrong. The description of the matches comes from Ogma's base conversation with the My Unit in FE12.

Next Chapter – Mercenaries


	4. Chapter 4) Mercenaries

Chapter 4) Mercenaries

* * *

 _Lord Alberich caused a lot of controversy when he named his first-born as his heir, despite her being a girl. At the time, it was assumed the heir would be his son. After all, Lycia and Bern followed such rules, and Queen Cheryl had named her son her heir, despite him being her third child._

 _Lord Alberich held firm in his decision, though, citing that he inherited from his mother, so why should he exclude his daughter from inheritance? Though many tried to get him to change his mind, when he retired, Hanover went to his daughter, Lady Victoria, just as he planned._

* * *

"So, this is Thria?" I murmured, amazed by how… picture-book it looked. I was used to Ostia, and had never traveled to another city in Lycia. The two provinces looked so different; you could make a case for them being separate countries. Was this why Lycia was a country made up of 'alliances'?

"Yep," Uther replied. The flippant response told me he was far too used to the view. A shame. It was beautiful. "Now, remember the story."

"I am an Etrurian noblewoman and your family and mine are in the middle of arranged marriage talks." And we were traveling Lycia so he could show me my possible new home, and that was why we were in the courtyard of Thria's ruling estate without notice. "Should we not have an escort?"

"In Lycia, we wouldn't need one until the engagement was 'official'. But feel free to point it out. A little vulnerability goes a long way in making enemies underestimating."

"Same with flirting. After all, if there are two things men tend to think, it is that they are desired by all the women in the world, and that women are helpless without them." I gave him a look when he opened his mouth. "I swear by everything holy that if you say something stupid like 'not all men', you are going to have to explain away my kicking you in the balls." His response was to grimace. "I can go into detail later why it's stupid."

"How about I just take your word for it?"

"That only works if you believe me."

"I'm trusting you." That meant nothing. "Ah, there's the marquess. Act shy." Yes, yes.

"My Lord Uther!" Marquess Thria was a cheerful looking man, I supposed. Older, sharp-eyed, but cheerful. But it was his escort that held my attention. I had heard about the 'savage Sacaeans' back home, but there did not seem to be anything 'savage' about _this_ Sacaean. "What an unexpected surprise!" he laughed, clasping Uther's hand warmly. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Well, truthfully, Father has decided I'm past marriageable age and has entered talks with an Etrurian house," Uther answered easily, lying through his teeth. I think the Sacaean caught it, judging by the narrowing of his eyes, and I felt myself stiffen. No, he was not savage. This was a highly intelligent man, and a deadly one. I could tell by how he held himself. He was a hunter, and he could shoot a human as easily as he could shoot an animal. "Might I introduce Amanda?" Uther gestured to me, and I put on my best smile, casting my eyes down shyly. "She was interested in learning about Lycia since she might be living here."

"And so you brought her to my home to show it off? Uther, you always did know how to flatter." The Marquess laughed. But I did not like the calculating greed that entered his eyes when he looked at me. "Welcome, welcome. I hope you enjoy your stay."

"I plan too. But I notice you have a new bodyguard?"

"Ah, yes, Hassar." The Marquess gestured to the Sacaean, who just looked at us stoically. I guessed that was his name, then. "Quiet fellow, but a damn good horseman, better swordsman, and even better shot." Bow and sword in accord. I would wager he knew how to fight hand-to-hand as well. He just held himself that way. "You must forgive me for having a guard, Uther. Times have been odd."

"Of course. We only don't have one because I am a very capable fighter." …You know, it sucked being a 'proper lady'. I had to bite back sarcastic retorts. "Might we come in?"

"Ah, yes, certainly!" Marquess Thria led the way through the courtyard. "Tell me, though, how is your mother doing? I heard the pregnancy was hard on her."

"She's recovering nicely, and absolutely adores Amanda." For some reason. "Thank you for asking." I wanted to get out of this place already. "How go things here?"

"Could be better, but they could be worse as well. It's a stable year, and that is better than most can say." Was there entire conversation going to be like this? Someone kill me now. I could not _believe_ I used to think conversations like this were fun. "Incidentally, what happened to your face, Uther? I don't recall those scars."

"I got in a fight with a cat and lost." …Cat. Cat. Really? Did he seriously play that off _as cat scratches_?! I had never felt so insulted before!

"But have been quite the cat."

"Amusing, once you get to know her." I WAS GOING TO KICK HIM! "Did you refurbish your house?" …I was just going to go into a happy place in my head and ignore them. I was going to snap or yawn otherwise.

* * *

The 'polite conversation' stretched into what had to be the longest, most boring tour I had ever had the misfortune to suffer. Marquess Thria droned on and on about some 'priceless pictures'. More like tacky fakes. I finally had to interrupt, politely, with an excuse about needing to rest about the long trip before he let us go! Which led to a promise of having lunch with the guy, but that was a small price to pay, I suppose.

"The inside of his estate looks like a new money Etruria house," I grumbled, leaning against wall of Uther's guest room. "Which is the exception? Ostia or Thria?"

"Mmm, Ostia is a bit unusual," Uther sighed. He was sitting in one of the chairs, eyes closed. "We have a low view of the 'peerage system' there, and try to cut down on frivolous spending. It's something we got from Roland. Now the other provinces have their own ideas on what counts as 'frivolous'…" He opened his eyes, glancing at me. "But this is a bit much, and more importantly, it wasn't like this a year ago when I visited."

"Sudden increase in spending?"

"Most likely. I mentioned dark rumors, right?" He rolled his eyes at the look I gave him. "Right, of course, that's why we're here. Partially."

"Tax increases?"

"Checked out. If anything, he _lowered_ taxes." …Then where in all the hells was he getting the money? What was he selling? Where was he borrowing? It had to be something. "Split up to 'tour' on our own?"

"Sounds like the way to go." I shrugged. "Maybe one of us will get lucky."

"Right. Oh, if you run into that Hassar, listen to what he might say?" Uther stood with a little groan and wince. "Just an instinct thing, but he saw through the lie and didn't call us out."

"You noticed too."

"I also noticed he could probably take both of us in a fight, and if we won, it would probably be because a certain huntress plays dirty."

"All is fair in love and war, and we are at _war_." I knew my eyes were cold. "Do not forget that, Uther."

"…I won't. I promise." He held out his hand for a handshake, but when I took it, he grinned and brought my hand up to kiss. "My lady, I fear I must leave you for a bit."

"Uther, one of these days, I will kick you." I snatched my hand away, glowering. "Also, while I am on the subject of things I wan to kick you for… a cat? Really?"

"What? You're catty." He ducked as I threw a pillow at him. "I'm off, darling~"

"Stay safe, dear." I made my voice as dry as possible, and he laughed and laughed, the sound echoing down the halls as he walked off. "Infuriating man."

I waited for a bit, mostly to get my temper back under control and I could 'properly' act the part of a 'proper lady'. When I felt mostly calm, I stepped out and headed down the hall, intending on finding some maids to chat with. Servants always had the best gossip.

I paused, though, when I saw Hassar standing by a window now far away. He turned as I approached, but did not say anything. He just stood there, watching me. I stilled as well, studying him. My initial assessments were correct. This man was a skilled fighter, and was keenly intelligent. His eyes, though… I had never seen such deep, honest eyes. They were hidden, cautious, but they were _honest_.

"Why is a man like you working for him?" I finally asked. I had to be cautious. I could not trust him. But at the same time, there was just _something off_ about this. And there was Uther's words. "It cannot be the money." Honest eyes like that… they could never be _bought_.

"No, it's not," he confirmed. He tilted his head to the side. "You… have strong eyes. The eyes of someone who stares into the darkness unblinkingly. You must be an assassin."

"…That is an odd assumption."

"You have strong, dark eyes combined with the movement of someone used to hunting. It is not so odd." He was intelligent and observant. Something was _definitely_ off. "What brings you here?" He seemed to hesitate before adding, "are you here because of the missing and dead girls?"

"Perhaps." Carefully, I walked closer, hands behind my back in a show of innocent, coy interest. "Why? What do you know about them?"

"Little." Damn. "But I do know there is something going on, and I know there is a fortress where he 'keeps' them until they are moved later." He checked the area carefully before leaning down slightly. "There is a pegasus knight in the dungeons here," he explained in a whisper. "She was hired to transport them to the fortress, but protested, so she got thrown in there. She knows where they are. I'm trying to get the key to her cell. There was a girl who was sent there just yesterday."

"You want to save that girl." This was why he did not say anything. He was hoping we could _help_.

"She had clear eyes, and it was monstrous of the lord to take advantage of her freely given trust." His eyes were hard, fierce. "He carries the key on his person. If you can get that key, then I will convince the knight to take you two along as well."

An alliance with mercenaries, huh? This could go very bad. But it was the only lead we had, and if he was telling the truth… "I will get it." His response was to smile slightly, in relief. "Just curious. You know anything about the girl he sent off?"

"Her name is Madelyn. She is… a strangely kind person." Madelyn. Okay. "Blue eyes, black hair." I could use that. I had an idea on how, in fact. I came from Etruria. I knew a bit of the games.

"Going out of your way to save someone is a bit odd, isn't it?" He was a Sacaean, and a mercenary. There was no fucking way the world had been kind to him.

"The world is a very cruel place, but that does not mean I have to be cruel as well."

"That is a bit idealistic, is it not?"

"It is only idealistic because too many people take the easier option of hating everyone and everything, and becoming cynical." His eyes were sharp. "It might be idealism to want to protect people, but that does not mean it should not be done."

"…You are going to get yourself killed because you protected people who will not even care."

"It will be a good death. Do not give one to the marquess."

"Oh, he will be whimpering before long." What… an odd person. "Be ready."

"I will."

* * *

After talking with Hassar, I went to find the maids as I had originally planned, confirming the story about the girl having been there, and then suddenly she _was not_. One of the maids even pointed out that the guest room had not been slept in. They seemed to think their lord made an untoward advance and the girl fled in the middle of the night. While that could still be the case, Hassar's story made more sense.

So, when I met up with Uther a little bit later, I told him about the conversation, though not the name or description of the girl, and he was instantly for going along with it. We just needed to trap the Marquess, and there was a perfect setting for one. The luncheon.

"Your cooks are simply marvelous!" I gushed, humming in delight. To be fair, the food _was_ good. "It is the perfect compliment to the view!" We were eating out in the gardens, likely so Marquess Thria could pretend he was being casual.

"Well, thank you, my dear," Marquess Thria replied. "It also goes well with the wine." He was rather insistent on me trying it. I was definitely _not_ going to.

"Ah, my lord, I cannot hold my alcohol well. I wish to not make a fool of myself!" I caught Uther choking on a laugh, and turned to glare at him. "Not one word of that incident. I had no idea it was spiked."

"I should have warned you, I know," Uther replied instantly, playing along with the lie. He turned a winning smile towards the Marquess. "But yes, please, forgive her for not drinking. Things get messy rather quickly, and she is doing her best to make a _good_ impression."

"Well, if you both insist," Marquess Thria sighed. I caught the annoyance in his eyes and the stiffness in his shoulders. That wine was either poisoned or spiked with some sort of sleeping agent. I was _certain_ of it. Ha, it seemed some things were rather consistent across borders. "Did you have a good rest?"

"Yes, quite, though I hope you do not mind I went back to look at some of those marvelous paintings." If he really did, it must have been to check if there was something hidden in or behind them.

"Not at all! You must tell me which ones caught your eye the most. I can recommend the artist."

"Marvelous!" Uther laughed. "I look forward to it." The Marquess relaxed slightly at that. Now was the perfect chance.

"Ah, pardon the change of subject, but do you have other guests, my lord?" I asked innocently. Marquess Thria tilted his head curiously. "I heard some of the other servants talking about her. A girl with black hair and blue eyes?" His face froze. Uther frowned at that, and gave me a curious look. Sorry, Uther, but I needed you absolute honest reaction here. "Ah, what was the name…? Madelyn, I think?"

"Mads is here?" Uther asked. He looked startled. _I_ was more surprised he had any idea who he was talking about. "I thought she was heading to Etruria for a small vacation. That's what Lord Hausen said." …Did he just say…?

"There was a bit of trouble on the road, so I invited her to stay the night here while I sent Hassar to take care of it," Marquess Thria replied. I just tried to figure out where he found the balls to kidnap a _noble_. People ignored whores. People did _not_ ignore noblewomen. "She left early this morning, though." Uther and I exchanged a look. Contradiction, contradiction. "They must have been talking about her."

"Really? That's a shame. I love talking with Mads. She's sweet."

"I always thought she would marry you or Elbert, truthfully."

"Eh, none of us three had any feelings like that. She's a good friend. And it's really rude to make that sort of comment right now."

"Ah, yes, Lady Amanda, I'm dreadfully sorry."

"No, do not be," I replied. I smiled warmly. "Did you say she left this morning?"

"Yes, early this morning," Marquess Thria replied. "Why?"

"I just find it odd we did not pass her if she was heading to Etruria from here. We _were_ on the main road, after all." I glanced at Uther, wondering if he would jump in. But he seemed content in just watching for now. "It's hard to miss a lady and her escort."

"She left alone. It's not so unusual to miss a lone rider."

"My lord! You let a woman ride off alone?" I gasped, eyes wide. His widened too, as he realized what he just said. "Uther, we _must_ go after her! She could be in so much danger!"

"If she is in danger, then you should remain here, Lady Amanda, while Uther goes to her rescue."

There. There was that greed again, hiding in his eyes. "My lord, you must forgive me, but I cannot trust your judgment. You let her go _alone_. What were you thinking?" He opened his mouth, but I decided to drop the act. I wanted him unbalanced. Now. "You were thinking about how she would fetch a pretty price, were you not? Just as you are thinking about how much I might be worth."

"Or you are thinking of how much some benefactor will pay you for her," Uther added. He stood, eyes cold as he looked at the Marquess. "I am here to investigate some murders, my lord. You were the last person a victim was seen with. And I have heard many dark rumors about your sudden increase in wealth."

"You cannot be serious!" Marquess Thria yelped. He stood, flailing about. I subtly grabbed one of the knives. "You cannot suddenly accuse me of spending time with whores!"

"Now, good sir, whenever did I mention I was looking into a prostitute's murder?" Uther glanced at me, and subtly nodded. I was taking that as permission to be very violent. I hoped, anyway. Because I was about to be. "Curious."

"This… this isn't fair!"

"Piggy on a road-way, picking up stones," I half-sang, slowly walking over to the Marquess. "Down came a rider and broke little piggy's bones!" I stepped behind him, noticing how much he was shaking. "'Ah!' cried the piggy. 'That's not fair!'" I flipped the knife in my hand to get a better grip. "'Oh!' cried the rider. 'I don't care!'" I slit his throat, digging deep to make sure I hit arteries and veins, and not just the voice-box.

He dropped like a stone, squirming a bit before passing. I crouched down, ignoring the blood on the hem of my dress, and hunted through his pockets, snagging some keys. Success!

"That is a messed up nursery rhyme," Uther deadpanned. I simply shrugged. I had learned it from some street kids. I had no idea where it came from. "He dead-dead?"

"Close enough," I replied. Still, I hovered a hand over his face to check. "Yeah, he is not breathing. I suppose we will have to inform his heir?"

"He doesn't have one, so the province will be placed under Ostia's juristriction." Ah. "Probably have Orun rule it." He shook his head as I stood up. "Come on. Hassar is waiting." He pointed to a window, and I looked up to see he was right. Hassar _was_ there, leaning against the glass casually. I waved the keys and saw him smile slowly before disappearing. "Let's go!"

We both ran back inside, and Hassar soon found us to lead us down into the dungeons. It was dank, dark, and cold, smelling like mold and dust. But the woman in the cell Hassar led us to was almost dignified despite the conditions. "Hassar, who are these two?" she asked slowly. Her pale purple hair was in pigtails, giving her a girlish appearance. I think she was younger than me. "Wait, are those keys?"

"They're going to help," Hassar explained. I passed the keys to him and he went to work trying to figure out which one opened the cell. "The Marquess is dead."

"That his blood then?" I grinned in reply. "Girl, you and I are going to get along marvelously." The cell clunked open and she stood up. "Well, nice to be working with you. The name is Maria. I'm finishing up my year's field practice before becoming a full-fledged pegasus knight." Oh, I had heard about that. "We can do the rest of the intros on the way, right? I want to get there quickly."

Oh, joy, racing against time. I hated these sorts of things.

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. Because I spent five years on the streets, I have lost my hesitancy about killing and am inured to dead bodies in general. To keep myself from becoming a monster, I take care of the street kids. I tend to sing nursery rhymes when going for a killing, both out of habit and because it unnerves the target. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia. In terms of political power, he's about equal to a 'prince', but he corrects people quickly about that term, since Lycia has no kings or princes. He's a skilled liar, but does not know how to react when in a brothel. He has a half brother named Orun, and the secrecy surrounding said half-brother led to him being closer to his mother than his father. He is also INCREDIBLY INFURIATING. Wields axes. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary. Hails from the Lorca tribe, but doesn't say why he's not there now. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Acknowledges that the world is cruel, but still feels like its worth living up to ideals. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies (like being dismounted, since he mentioned not really knowing how to use them while riding). Has a gorgeous horse. Wears his long hair in a ponytail for convenience, tied back with a very pretty hair ornament made of bronze and set with a green gem. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Maria, Ilian Knight. Hired by Marquess Thria to 'escort' some ladies to some fortress. Did a couple of batches before thinking something was wrong, and then investigated to learn some of the girls she escorted ended up dead in Ostia. Was captured when she confronted him, likely to be sent to the same fortress as soon as the Marquess Thria could get someone to take her. Feels desperately ashamed for her part, and wants to save those she can. Wields lances. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

* * *

Author's Note: So something I'm going to reiterate here. This story is _inspired_ by FE7x. It is _not_ a direct retelling. OCs that show up in FE7x won't be showing here nor will shared canon characters necessarily have the exact same personalities (or appearances). Just wanted to make sure that was clear, so that I don't have people wondering why Madelyn doesn't have blonde hair.

The nursery rhyme was literally me looking rhymes up through Google and deciding it was rather fitting. Hassar's hair ornament (mentioned in his bio) is the same one Lyn wears in FE7, and the description of his eyes are based off Wallace's C support with Kent. Maria is a character that shows up in Tactician's Testimony, specifically the Ilia Interlude. Orun is the Marquess of Thria in FE6, canonically, and during the events of Tactician's Testimony.

Next Chapter – Captured Princess


	5. Chapter 5) Captured Princess

Chapter 5) Captured Princess

* * *

 _Lady Victoria was the perfect noblewoman. She was kind and quiet, with the most gentle of smiles. Many tried to take advantage of her kindness. Many attempted to win her trust, use her, and then betray her._

 _Those many ended up broken into pieces. Lady Victoria was the perfect Etrurian noblewoman, after all._

* * *

"Here we are," Maria whispered. I was riding with her, high in the skies. Uther was riding with Hassar below us, and I marveled at just how damn _fast_ Hassar's horse was. Not even the fastest Hanover horse could compare. "This is the fortress."

"…It looks boring," I could not help but deadpan. It really did look startlingly normal. Nothing about it suggested it was even inhabited, much less a place where girls and children were sold. "Though, I suppose it is always the 'normal' ones you have to watch out for."

"Yep." Maria swooped down to land near the forest lining the main road. Almost as if there had been a signal or something, Hassar slowed his horse to a stop. "I have no idea how long we have, or even if we're too late." Both Uther and I dismounted; she and Hassar stayed mounted. "But we have to try, right?"

"That's the plan," Uther sighed. He eyed the fortress warily. "I just want to ask one thing, and I'm sure you'll hit me for it."

"Well, go ahead."

"We can trust you, right?" …Did he just say…? "You're an Ilian mercenary, and everything I've heard states they take contracts seriously. They pride themselves on reliability."

"The assassin here killed my employer, meaning I have the choice in continuing with the contract or deciding its severed by unexpected death." Her eyes narrowed. "So, yes, little lordling, you can trust me. If you can get off your high horse."

"You and Hassar are the mounted ones, unless my eyesight has _really_ gone bad." Still, Uther smiled slightly. "When we're done with this, I'd like to hire you formally."

"…Why?"

"People should get rewarded for sticking to their morals in bad situations, shouldn't they? And, well, I imagine Amanda killing your employer means you don't get paid."

"How much?"

"Like Amanda, you can name your price when this is over." Uther glanced at Hassar. "That offer extends to you as well, by the way."

"…A lord smart enough to not rely on knightly honor but mercenary." Maria laughed. "I could get to like you."

"I'm thrilled." He even bowed a little. "Thank you for indulging my question. Now, what's the plan? Frontal assault is a bad idea."

"Sneaking in, however, will be just as bad," Hassar pointed out. He dismounted then, and loosely tied his horse to a tree, just out of sight of the fortress. "At least, if we try to do either alone."

"Distraction and strike," Uther murmured. He nodded, eyes closing. "Yes, that's probably our best bet. Maria, do you know where inside they are?"

"Not a clue," Maria sighed. She slumped a little in the saddle. "My job stopped at the gates. It's why I didn't catch on for a while."

"If they are going to keep up the appearance of 'normality', then they are likely in some sort of guest room," I murmured. All three turned to me. "You cannot keep whores and kids in fortress dungeons without _someone_ asking questions. But keep them in a guest room you can lock, and they are just as much as prisoners as if you put them in a dungeon. Just with less chance of dying from cold."

"An assassin knows this because…?"

"Former noblewoman who was locked in her bedroom prior to being disowned." In fact, I was disowned because I managed to pick the lock. "Grandfather told everyone I was ill with consumption or something to keep people away. Bastard."

"Huh. Clever." …I could hit her right now. "So, I'm likely part of the bait. I can't move quietly very well."

"And it is part of my _job_ to move quietly, so I am part of the strike." I looked at the boys. "Well, what will you two decide? If needed, I can-"

"I'd prefer no one be alone in case something goes very wrong," Uther interjected. He sighed. "Which means I'm in distraction because I highly doubt I can move quieter than Hassar."

"You never had your meal depend on it," Hassar teased. He even had a small smile. Maybe he was not as stoic as I originally thought. "Shall we then, Amanda?"

"Let us save a princess," I agreed. "And hope she is not in another fortress or tower or some nonsense."

* * *

I got us inside easily, thanks to a picked lock. Hassar led the way, I think so that he could incapacitate any guards we came across instead of just leaving them to die like I would have. Then again, he also just had better hearing than me. We were able to avoid a lot of guards just by relying on his ears.

"There's movement behind this door," he murmured at one point. We were in the 'residential' section of the fort, if Lycian fortresses had anything in common with Etruria forts. "The lock…"

"I got it," I replied, already crouching down. Honestly, though, the locks around here were easy. I only had to use one lockpick to get the doors to click open. "All right. Soldiers or captives?"

"Let's find out." Hassar reached over my shoulder and slowly opened the door. I stepped back just in case it was the former and he needed room to fight. "Hello?"

"Keep away from me, you vile troglodyte!" Hassar had to duck under a rather impressive swing, considering the attacker was a tiny, fragile looking woman. I… did not think she was a soldier. "I will break your hand if you attempt to do anything to these women or children again!" This time, Hassar caught the makeshift weapon, and I realized it was a _broom handle_. I had no idea who this girl was, but I instantly liked her. "…Oh, wait, you're Hassar." The girl blinked slowly, looking rather confused. "What are you doing here?" she finally asked. "Surely, you're not with them?"

"No, he is with me, actually," I said, sliding into the conversation. Hassar looked so baffled. "I am Amanda."

"Madelyn." _This_ was Madelyn? Not what I pictured. I could not complain though. "A pleasure to make your acquaintance, miss."

"Same. Anyway, Hassar and I work with Uther."

"Oh!" Her face lit up in a bright smile. "He always did have a good sense of dramatic timing. Though, his hair can be atrocious." She glanced sheepishly at Hassar. "I… I am _so_ sorry."

"It was unexpected, but I am glad to see you are well," Hassar replied. Slowly, he let go of the broom handle and smile kindly. "Maria is outside with Uther."

"Oh, good, she _is_ okay! I heard her screaming at the guards and was afraid they killed her!" Madelyn smiled back brightly, and actually stepped back to let us peek into the room. "Everyone, rescuers are here." There were ten others in the room, four that I recognized as whores, and six children I had seen running about the streets. "On your feet, everyone. We need to get out of here."

"We sure a savage is really going to save us?" one of the whores spat. Hassar's smile faltered slightly, but it went back on his face. "Probably skin us instead or whatever else those creepy spirit worshipers do." …Okay, no.

"Well, you _could_ die after being tied to some rocks and thrown into a river like the last whore I saw," I deadpanned, stepping into the room. I glared at her. "There is also the one ripped apart by wild animals? The one that had all her blood drained out? I am not nice like him. I _will_ leave you." Well, I probably would not, but I was sorely tempted right now.

"But Huntress-"

"I. Do. Not. Care." I was not going to tolerate this in my earshot. Kindness was too rare to people like us. "One more word like that, and I will even tie you up to make sure they find you." She squeaked, flinching back. "Anyone else want to be stupid enough to make comments about the only reason anyone had enough information to do a rescue in the first place?" Dead silence. "I thought not. On your feet, like she said."

"So, your name is Huntress?" Madelyn asked me as the group slowly filed out of the room. "Ah, no, that would be silly. You just told me your name."

"Huntress is what I am known by in the streets. I am an assassin," I told her honestly. Her eyes widened. "Problem?"

"You are _much_ prettier than I thought an assassin would be." …Ah. "But if you are, then perhaps…" Madelyn tilted her head, glancing up at the ceiling before nodding. "The leader of the forces here is very much in league with all of this. I do not think the rank and file soldiers are." Made sense. "The leader is actually meeting with someone right now, an Etrurian by the accent. I managed to hear something about 'price' when they thought I was asleep."

"That… was smart of you."

"I think you mean lucky. I was scared of what they would do to me if they knew I was awake." Her smile wavered. "Truly, thank you so much."

"Thank Hassar. As I mentioned, he is the one who got the ball rolling. Uther and I just came to investigate." I glanced at him, and noticed he was keeping his distance. "Hassar, I need to check something up ahead. Will you be okay leading them back?"

"Yes, it will not be a problem," Hassar answered immediately. There was a bit of pain in his eyes, old and bitter. The comment might have been one he heard often, but it still pricked the skin. But he was determined to do the 'right thing' anyway. Brave or foolish. "Try to catch up, though."

"I will." I skipped down the hall, waving a bit. "I will see you outside."

"Father Sky watch your steps." And I was off, hunting for any signs of this 'leader'. Probably had a fancy office, which would not be too far from the residential area. So, let us just try a few…

It ended up being third time lucky out of the offices I checked, and I pressed myself against the wall by the door to listen, keeping an eye out for any patrolling soldiers. "So, my lord, do you think this crop will do nicely?" I heard a voice ask, voice just dripping with the polite asskissing tone. "I understand there were some difficulties finding some this time, so it is smaller than usual."

"Even rats learn to be cautious." I froze at the second voice. I knew it. I knew this voice. "A pity it is small, but it will due." A voice like poisoned honey, which lingered in your head and twisted like a knife. It took everything I had to not whimper, to not shake. "Now, about this noblewoman Marquess Thria sent over?" WHAT WAS _HE_ DOING HERE?!

"He thought she might be a lovely toy for you or your soldiers. She's considered one of the most beautiful noble ladies, and her father would pay handsomely if you chose to ransom her. Caelin is the richest of the provinces here. You could buy a whole battalion's worth of Hanover's horses."

"Nicholas refuses to sell to me or my house, sadly." Nicky, I love you. "Oh, you mentioned Marquess Laus had a message for me."

"Ah, yes. It's about that girl you were questioning about. He found an assassin that matched the description you provided." …What was…? "An Etrurian girl with blond hair and amber eyes, yes?" …I… "Should be around nineteen now?"

"Ah, yes, my wayward fiancé. That old man should have just given her to me back then, not disowned her. I dislike having my property discarded by another." I could not breath. I could not breath at all. "I knew she was around here somewhere. Her fire was always so attractive. I loved to see her burn." Why was he here? Why was he…? "How goes the Bernese branch?"

"Very well. They were here last week for their batch."

"Perfect. I want someone to get that assassin and let me see if it's my Amanda. I will pay extra for the capture, and even more if it _is_ the right girl."

"Of course, my lord." I heard movement inside, and I dragged myself out of my fear. I needed to get out of here. Now.

But I was shaking even as I scurried off, unable to get warm, and it took everything I had to not just collapse.

* * *

I had managed to stop shaking by the time I made it out, but I knew some of the fear lingered in my demeanor. Hassar picked it up instantly, but he just remained silent, standing near as I calmed and waiting for me to nod before leading me back to the others.

"We'll likely need to Thria so I can call for the guard," Uther sighed. He and Maria had some injuries, and for some reason, there was a dented helmet in his hand. Where had that come from? "Ugh… my ears are still ringing."

"Imagine taking a hit like that to your _bare_ head," Maria pointed out, grin teasing. Oh, she must have made him wear one. "Ringing ears are better than cracked skulls."

"Cracked skull normally means I'm passed out."

"Or dead."

"Or dead, yes." Uther shook his head, and smiled at Madelyn. She was in our little group, while the whores and kids huddled together a short distance away. "By the way, hello, Mads."

"Hello, Uther," she greeted with a smile. But she tilted her head curiously. "What happened to your face?"

"I decided I needed scars to keep people from pinching my cheek like a child, so I hired an assassin."

"Well, now I just want to poke them, so I don't know if you succeeded or not." She laughed a little, before curtseying. "Again, thank you four so much for coming to the rescue."

"Amanda and I just got lucky. Hassar and Maria were the ones who put the plan together."

"Well, thank you two extra much." She really did have a pretty smile. "I greatly appreciate it."

"Aw, I'm going to start blushing before long," Maria laughed. She glanced over at the whores and kids. "So, what about them?"

"As I mentioned, I need to call the guard," Uther murmured. He smiled and waved at the group before growing serious again. "While we can backtrack, I'd rather get to Laus and find out more about why he wanted me dead."

"Noble. Power."

"Throne would go to Hector, and then Orun, with both my parents in very good health, and Laus towards the bottom of potential regents. It would make more sense to go after one of them first. Especially my mother. No one would think it odd that a woman who recently gave birth suddenly died. It's happened before because some health thing got ignored."

"As I understand, Lycia is hovering on the edge of war," Hassar murmured. He casually leaned against a tree, letting his horse nuzzle his shoulder. "Perhaps the sudden death of the heir would tip the country over."

"That is certainly plausible," I sighed. My hands were shaking again as I remembered. "Uther, I managed to overhear a conversation, and I know who is buying now." All eyes turned to me. "Lord Albert of House Kerinei. He mentioned a 'Bernese Branch' too."

"Oh, damn, I know that name," Maria breathed. Her eyes were wide, and she shook a little, hugging herself tightly. "Bastard is on the blacklist for Ilia. He's not allowed to hire any of us, ever. I don't know _why_ , but we still keep contracts with Etruria despite rape and murder being common, so I don't _want_ to know what he did that was bad enough to get him on that list."

"You're certain it's him?" Uther asked me. I nodded, mouth dry. I could not… ah, this was pathetic. It had been five years. I had survived five years on the streets. I had lied, cheated, stole, and murdered to keep myself alive. I was a borderline-monster. Why did he still scare me stiff? "All right, then we have a name. Maybe we can figure out the Bernese noble through those connections. We still have the signet ring."

"Um…" Oh, right, Madelyn was still here. "May I make a selfish request?" she asked hesitantly, fidgeting with her hands. At our nods, she took a deep breath. "Might I come with you?" …Did she just say…?! "I know faces. I know the plans. No matter where I go, I _will_ be in danger." Mmm… she _did_ have a point there. "I would like to help, even if it is simply talking to people, and making sure you four have eaten and gotten your wounds taken care of. Lycia is my home, and this… monster is trying to destroy it."

"Mads, Lord Hausen will literally kill me," Uther deadpanned. She set her jaw stubbornly, though, and he sighed heavily. "No, he will seriously kill me."

"I will write a letter."

"And he'll go mad if something happens to you."

"Then make sure nothing happens. Simple enough. You're not going about this with the intention of dying, yes?"

"Well, yes…"

"So, I don't see how I am any less safe if your company."

"Mads, you're the heir to Caelin, and you don't have siblings."

"Uncle Lundgren is still young enough to marry and have kids."

"The boys of Lycia will weep if something happened to your pretty face."

"Oh, my, that _would_ be a problem, since you couldn't keep your own pretty face safe. I will stay close to Hassar and Amanda for threats like that."

The two continued back and forth, and I shared amused, incredulous looks Hassar and Maria. Hassar was more 'amused', and Maria was more 'incredulous'. In think I was in the middle. But I was also getting plain tired, so…

"Men tend to let their guard down around women," I interrupted. Both Uther and Madelyn looked at me. Uther gave me a dirty look, while Madelyn beamed. "Especially noblewomen. No one really expects one to have thoughts in her head besides getting married and having babies, _especially_ in Etruria. She might actually have more luck getting information out of nobles than you."

"If the lack of martial abilities concerns you, then we can simply teach her how to fight," Hassar added. He shrugged off Uther's dirty look, and smiled when Madelyn turned her smile his way. "I can teach her swordwork, and Amanda can teach her knives." That I could.

"I know some hand-to-hand tricks that are really useful for getting little people out of big trouble," Maria sighed. She messed with one of her pigtails, frowning in thought. "And my clothes will fit her, likely, so for when she can't be a 'noble', we can play her off as a trainee I'm helping."

"Thank you so much, everyone!" Madelyn gushed, practically bouncing on her toes. Uther simply groaned and threw up his hands in defeat. "I will do my best in lessons, and to not hold you back."

"Meh, might as well help a noble who actually wants to do something." Maria shrugged. "For now, though, to Thria." Yes, we had to get things set up and make plans for moving forward.

I just… did not like how personal this whole thing just got. Not one bit.

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. To keep myself from becoming a monster, I take care of the street kids. I tend to sing nursery rhymes when going for a killing, both out of habit and because it unnerves the target. One of my pet peeves is people insulting those who are helping out of the kindness of their hearts. My former fiancé appears to still be looking for me. I'm going to teach Madelyn knife work. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia. In terms of political power, he's about equal to a 'prince', but he corrects people quickly about that term, since Lycia has no kings or princes. Target of Laus possibly to start a civil war, but this is still unconfirmed. Seems to have a 'healthy respect' of Lord Hausen. He is also INCREDIBLY INFURIATING. Wields axes. Might teach him knives while I'm at it. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary. Hails from the Lorca tribe, but doesn't say why he's not there now. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Acknowledges that the world is cruel, and often deals with people calling him 'savage', but still feels like its worth living up to ideals. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies and he'll be teaching Madelyn swords. Has a gorgeous horse. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Maria, Ilian Knight. Hired by Marquess Thria to 'escort' some ladies to some fortress and feels ashamed by it. Chose to end her contract, and took up with us to atone for it. Knows hand to hand combat, and will be teaching some to Madelyn. I think she wants to teach me too. Seems impressed that Uther and Madelyn want to actually help. Wields lances. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· _**Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Apparently the light of her father's life. Went to Thria after being separated from her guard, Eagler, during a bandit attack, and was drugged while having dinner with the Marquess. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Blue eyes, black hair, 17 years old._

* * *

Author's Note: And now Madelyn has joined in! And we had a cameo of one of the villains! Not… much else to say? Oh, right, Madelyn is going to be a 'myrmidon' here, since she's being trained by Hassar, meaning she's learning Sacaean swordfighting.

Next Chapter – Memories


	6. Chapter 6) Memories

Chapter 6) Memories

* * *

 _Lady Victoria was a master of poisons, but most of her enemies were destroyed by more elegant means. A glove, a table, and one choice word destroyed the marriage of a political rival. A smile, a dance, and a little white lie generated a scandal that rocked the country, and let her set up the court exactly as she wanted. Completely loyal to King Michael._

 _She was of Hanover, after all. The house has always been loyal to the royal family._

* * *

Madelyn seemed to be a rather 'laughing' person? At the least, she simply laughed off her failures and tried harder the second time. I suppose that made teaching her less frustrating, most of the time. Still, it was amusing watching Hassar try to teach her.

I fiddled with my glass of water as I sat on the balcony overlooking the practice yard. We'd gone back to Thria, and Uther had summoned the guard to escort the whores and kids back. Now, we were just resting, so we could go to Laus tomorrow.

I should probably be helping make preparations, but I could not focus. All I could do was focus on how _Albert_ was still around. Albert was involved in the murders. Albert… was looking for me. Still considered me his…

I shuddered, hugging myself tightly as I tried to ward off the sudden chill. I had… my sole comfort during these past five years had been that I would never have to deal with him again. He was out of my life. I never had to be afraid of him again. Yet, here he was, five years later.

"Cold?" A blanket fell on my shoulders, and I looked up to see Uther had snuck up on me. I had not even heard him. "You look tired," he murmured, taking the seat next to me. Madelyn's laughter danced on the wind, a sign that she had failed again. "You okay?"

"I am fine," I replied automatically. He realized that, though, and gave me a dubious look. "It is…" I sighed heavily. This was not going to get either of us anywhere. "You have to promise to not laugh."

"I promise." But he had a little smirk on his face. "So?"

"You asked if I was certain about the lord." He nodded at that. "You never asked how I was so sure, but I'm sure you were curious."

"I remembered later that you were supposed to marry into the house, so I figured you'd heard the voice enough times."

"I would say so. Albert was my fiancé." He froze at the revelation, eyes wide. "And it might not have been simply 'chance' that Marquess Laus hired _me_ in particular. He has been looking for me, apparently. Albert, I mean."

"You… were supposed to marry the psycho involved with…?"

"Yeah. I feel a little vindicated." I snickered, smiling bitterly. "I have not been sleeping because I have been remembering the past instead. Is it not hilarious that I am still afraid of him?"

"…I think that is very telling of the kind of person he's always been." He reached over to comfortingly pat my shoulder or something, but I automatically flinched away, and his hand dropped to the table. "And no, I don't think it's hilarious. I'm disgusted that he's chasing after you like a lost puppy, and I am very tempted to hunt down your grandfather to punch him." I couldn't help but laugh. "I'm serious."

"The scariest part is that I know you are stupidly serious." My smile was wry. "My grandfather is dead, though. No need to punch."

"I think I'll punch this Albert person when you're done with whatever you are going to do with him." Honestly, I was not certain if I could do anything but freeze. "Amanda?"

"…He always scared me." I closed my eyes, no longer in 'Thria', but rather 'Hanover' and 'Etruria', in my memories. "I thought it was because I was going to marry him. My friends look forward to marriage, but I never really did. Even when I was young, I knew it was a commitment. I was not sure I wanted to be tied down to someone, just because of another's arrangement. But I loved my grandfather. I was content in doing what he said." I opened my eyes, smiling sadly. "So, I bore through the fear, and the unnerving cold."

"Cold?"

"He was always cold. Albert, I mean. He was cold, and never seemed horrified by anything. He would never listen to what I wanted, and dragged me around after him." I shuddered, clutching the blanket. "He would kiss me without asking. I remember that. I never complained because I thought that was 'okay'. He was to be my husband, and husbands kissed their wives. Sometimes, the kisses got a little… more." Unconsciously, I dug into the side of my neck, remembering the hickeys he left without permission, without ever asking if I was comfortable. I had to wear chokers all the time to hide them. "I think one time, he tried to go further. I was dopey from some cold medicine, so I do not really remember. I do remember Nicky knocking him unconscious, throwing him clear out of the estate. He got into so much trouble, but he was defiant while Grandfather yelled."

"Nicky?"

"My cousin. He and I were raised together." I smiled softly. "He is five years older than me. He actually married one of my best friends, Cristina. They had two kids when I… when Grandfather threw me out." I giggled, unable to help it. "Toddler Mark, and baby Maria."

"Who shares a name with our lovely pegasus knight."

"Yes." She had just been a little baby… she was five years old now. Mark was seven. "I suppose only my memories of him, and his family, are untainted by everything."

"You don't resent him for staying?"

"He only _stayed_ because I insisted." Of course, at the time, I had not expected Grandfather to just chuck me across the border. "He was prepared to come with me, with his family."

"And his wife agreed?"

"Cristina was the one who suggested it, actually." I laughed a little. "She is an odd one. It is hard for her to directly tell anyone her affections. She talks awkwardly. Often, her actions do not convey her thoughts and reasons well. But she is a protective thing. One reason why Nicky fell in love with her is because she faced down a _literal_ mama bear to keep me safe."

"…A mother bear."

"Yep."

"She faced down one."

"Yep." I giggled. I loved that memory, even now. "She has a scar on her leg from the bear, but she just stood there and would _not_ let it get me." I hoped none of her kids inherited her tendency to just jump in between danger and friends. "She was always so kind…" I slumped, though, as my thoughts returned to Albert. "Albert was not. I was Albert's plaything, his toy, his 'most prized possession'." I laughed bitterly. "Still, with everything I have seen, with everything that I have _done_ … you would think I would not be afraid of him to the point of freezing at his _voice_."

"Painful memories sometimes dig their claws deep." Uther's hand twitched at his side, and I knew he wanted to give me a hug or something. But he was hesitant, because I had shied away before. I appreciated that. "You… are never going anywhere alone." Hmm? "I don't want you to ever feel alone and trapped. I don't want to risk you freezing." Yes, that made sense. "I also want a nice, detailed account of you gutting that Albert like the pig he is, and I doubt you would give me one."

"What?" I… did he seriously just say that? "Are you…?"

"Look, he's involved. Which means he dies. And if it _happens_ to not be from an execution, I'm not going to care." He grinned. "Wouldn't it be _hilarious_ to see his face as you, his 'toy', kills him? I think so." I could not help but laugh, and his grin softened into a smile. "Now, if I might ask one more question before changing the subject?"

"Yes?"

"Do you remember how he can get away with visits to Lycia?"

"His mother was a Lycian noblewoman, so I imagine he can play it off as family." I closed my eyes, trying to think of anything I remembered. "He was particularly fond of his 'Uncle Maric'." Uther suddenly started coughing, choking on a yelp. '"What is it?"

"Marquess Laus." Hmm? "Marquess _Maric_ of Laus." …Oh. Oh my. "This is going to be one fun trip." Yes. Yes, it was. "Anyway, as promised, we're changing the subject." He grinned. "In tribute to Madelyn's laughter, let me tell you of the time she turned muddy clothing into a fashion statement."

"Yes, please, tell me." I wanted to hear of happier memories. "This had better be funny, though."

"It's _hysterical_ , and she will kill me for telling."

"Good. Tell."

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. To keep myself from becoming a monster, I take care of the street kids. I tend to sing nursery rhymes when going for a killing, both out of habit and because it unnerves the target. One of my pet peeves is people insulting those who are helping out of the kindness of their hearts. I am still terrified of my former fiancé. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia. In terms of political power, he's about equal to a 'prince', but he corrects people quickly about that term, since Lycia has no kings or princes. Target of Laus possibly to start a civil war, but this is still unconfirmed. Seems to have a 'healthy respect' of Lord Hausen. He is also INCREDIBLY INFURIATING… and stupidly kind. Wields axes. Might teach him knives while I'm at it. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary. Hails from the Lorca tribe, but doesn't say why he's not there now. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Acknowledges that the world is cruel, and often deals with people calling him 'savage', but still feels like its worth living up to ideals. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies and he'll be teaching Madelyn swords. Has a gorgeous horse. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· _Maria, Ilian Knight. Hired by Marquess Thria to 'escort' some ladies to some fortress and feels ashamed by it. Chose to end her contract, and took up with us to atone for it. Knows hand to hand combat, and will be teaching some to Madelyn. I think she wants to teach me too. Seems impressed that Uther and Madelyn want to actually help. Wields lances. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· _**Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Apparently the light of her father's life. Went to Thria after being separated from her guard, Eagler, during a bandit attack, and was drugged while having dinner with the Marquess. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Laughs when she fails at something, at least in non-life-or-death settings. Blue eyes, black hair, 17 years old._

* * *

Author's note: Here, have some backstory for Amanda.

Next Chapter – Laus


	7. Chapter 7) Laus

Chapter 7) Laus

* * *

 _Lady Victoria arranged things beautifully, but her controlling nature also proved to be her downfall. Her only child, Sarah, rebelled against her, rebelled against her manipulations, set her up as a traitor, and she was executed in a public square._

 _Why? Because Lady Sarah truly feared for the future of the country, and for the stability of King Michael's rule, if her mother remained in power. Loyalty to the country often superseded loyalty to family._

* * *

I was beginning to think that all the provinces save Ostia were beautiful. Seriously, Laus was _gorgeous_. Wide-open space, beautiful fresh water, growing crops swaying in the gentle breeze… gorgeous. Pretty as a picture.

"Is this really going to work?" Maria asked, glancing back worriedly. I knew exactly where she was looking, without even turning back myself. I also knew what she was worried about. Madelyn was in one of Maria's dresses, and had her hair pulled back tightly, wearing a headband Hassar had on hand. "I didn't realize how distinctive she was until we tried this…"

"If she keeps her head down, and tucked against Hassar like she is now, it will be fine," I replied. I knew I sounded grouchy, but I hoped she realized I was not mad at her. Maybe I should… "Uther, _why_ could I not ride alone again?" There, that should make it a little more obvious at just who I was mad at.

"It is _not_ done in Lycia by noblewomen," Uther answered easily. I scowled at his grin. "Besides, it's fun hearing you grumble."

"I am so pleased to hear that, dear."

"I thought so, darling." Snickering brought both of our attentions to Maria. "Are you feeling better?"

"A little," she admitted, still snickering. Her pegasus's wings floated over our heads as it maintained flight. I was so tempted to reach up and touch the feathers, to see if they were as soft as they looked. "If you two keep up banter like that, he'll be too distracted to pay attention."

"I also have information to make him… well, he's likely not going to be paying attention." Oh. Right. Well, this might be a tad awkward. "Coming up on the castle." Oh, was _that_ the tall building we were walking to? I had _no_ idea. "Madelyn, stay hidden behind silent Hassar."

"He's not _that_ quiet," Madelyn laughed. When I glanced back, though, I saw her eyes were serious. She was keeping up the good cheer, but she was just as worried as the rest of us. "He makes really funny comments about you two."

"Is that so?" I drawled, giving Hassar a look. His expression was carefully blank, except for the teasing smile on his face. "Share some of that with us next time. I could use the laugh."

"We'll see," Hassar replied. His smile fell as he nodded. "We're here." That we were. And the purple haired man coming to greet us was, I assumed, the Darin we had to inform was fatherless. Oh, yay.

"Uther, what a surprise!" Darin greeted warmly. There was a bit of arrogance in his eyes. I saw that first, as Uther helped me down. In front of people, I was the meek Etrurian noblewoman, which meant I could not get down from big scary horses on my own. I was having such a hard time not laughing. "Strange for Laus to get two sets of guests while my father is away." Arrogance aside, though, his smile seemed genuine enough, even if he did eye me a little too closely. I also did not like how he eyed Maria. I _was_ glad, though, that his gaze just flicked over Hassar, and therefore Madelyn. "What brings you here?"

"Well, I hope your other guests had happier news than I do," Uther sighed, looking mournful. "Will you forgive me for getting straight to the point?"

"I welcome it." Darin noticed something was wrong, though, as his smile faded. "Don't worry about softening any blows. Just tell it to me straight."

"Your father is dead." Uther flinched as Darin looked like all the light in the world just went out. "I am working on getting the body to you, but it will… it's not pretty, Darin. He wasn't found for a couple of days."

"Wha…?" His voice croaked, so he coughed and tried again. "What happened?"

"As near as I can tell, he got involved in something he probably shouldn't, and when he tried to get out of it, he was killed." That… that… Uther, you are a born liar!

"I… I see…" Darin's voice shook as his head dropped. "He was… looking forward to Erik turning one this year…" Erik? "Ah…"

"Darin, please, head in and rest." Uther rested a reassuring hand on Darin's shoulder. "Now, of all times, I do not expect you to play 'proper host'. Go and hold your son or something." Son? …Oh, maybe I felt a _little_ bad now? The guy still tried to attack me, though. "Rest. We can do introductions and the like later, when you're less reeling."

"Are you looking into it?"

"Yes, among other things. Will you let me poke around his study, so I can try and trace the bastards who killed him for having a conscience?"

"Go ahead. Just… just bring in the ones who are responsible."

"I will." He nudged Darin lightly. "Go on."

"Thank you." Darin bowed a little, giving an apologetic little smile, before slowly walking inside. He really did look like the world just collapsed around him.

As soon as he was inside, and out of earshot, I glanced at Uther, exasperated. "Uther, that had to have been the most bullshit technically true thing I have ever heard," I deadpanned. He promptly started snickering, bowing his head. "Seriously, Uther, what in all the actual hells?"

"Uther, you lied?" Madelyn poked her head out from behind Hassar, and I noticed her eyes were misty. "You lied to him?" she demanded, with a frown. "That is… Uther, his father _is_ really dead, right?"

"Oh, yes, I poked at the body myself," Uther answered. He shuddered at the memory, and I laughed, muffling the sound with my hand. "And, like Amanda said, it was all _technically true_. He did get involved in something he probably shouldn't have."

"The group we're investigating," I clarified. This was such bullshit. "Or maybe the whole 'hiring me to kill you' thing, Uther?"

"I was thinking both actually." He kept his words light, and I could see Hassar staring incredulously, Maria struggling to not laugh, and Madelyn rapidly looking like she was about to bop us both in the head. "Anyway, he did try to get out of it."

"Namely renegotiating with me, because I am not stupid enough to go after you for 3000 gold."

"What price _would_ you set on my head anyway?"

"Oh, I suppose 15000 would be all right."

"So, I'm worth that much? Good to know!" He grinned as I rolled my eyes. "Anyway, after he did that, he _was_ killed."

"By me, because he tried to attack me." I simply smiled at Maria's laughter, Hassar's incredulousness, and Madelyn's shock. "Yes, Uther hired me after all that. He is a complete weirdo."

"I maintain it is one of the best decisions I have made." For some reason, a blush creeped up on my face. "We're actually getting things _done_." R-right… right… no, seriously, why was I blushing?

"We've more people walking up," Maria noted, eyes warily. "A redhead lord and a purple haired knight." Oh? …Wait, hold on, that sounded like…

"Uther, what are you doing here?" I glanced back, keeping my head down, and saw Elbert walk up, the knight I dealt with while escaping the failed assassination at his side. "Is that Madelyn?" he asked, looking a little bewildered. "When did you hire mercenaries anyway?"

"Why is _she_ here?" That was the knight, and he was focused completely on me. "That's the assassin who-!" I ran up and covered his mouth with my hand. I had to remove it quickly when he tried to bite me. Wow, had not expected that from a knight. "You are-"

"How about we all head in and I explain things?" Uther suggested with a bright smile. Elbert held up a hand to stop the knight, but also gave Uther the most incredulous, exasperated look in reply. "Her name is Amanda. I hired her. Tell Marcus to leave her alone."

"Uther, what are you dragging me into this time?" Elbert sighed, shaking his head. "Well, come to my rooms. We'll all talk there. Marcus, if you'll take care of the horses for them, and then come find us." Marcus, the knight, nodded slowly, eyeing me warily. I was tempted to ask if he remembered to wear a cup this time, but I think the smile conveyed the same message. "I already have a headache."

"That's you fretting too much."

"I wouldn't fret if I didn't know you." Ha! "This way, inside. I promise Marcus knows what he's doing with horses." Well, things just got interesting.

* * *

"Uther, why are you always getting yourself into trouble?" That was Elbert's only reply after we finished summarizing everything. "Marcus, did you happen to find that wine for me?" he asked. I was _really_ amused as Marcus passed him a cup. "Thank you, Marcus. Really, I appreciate it."

"Of course, my lord," Marcus replied easily. While he still glared at me, and gave Uther and the others skeptical looks, he looked at Elbert with the utmost respect. This was a knight who swore himself to a _person_ , not a province, no matter what his oaths said. It reminded me of Charles, who served Nicky more than Hanover. "I wonder if their investigation is related to ours."

"Probably." Elbert downed the glass of wine in one go. Madelyn looked startled, but Uther started snickering, so I was guessing this was Elbert's normal way of dealing with Uther. "Hassar, Maria, there is no one listening in, correct?"

"That's right," Maria confirmed. She was perched by the window, while Hassar watched the door. Uther, Madelyn, Elbert, and myself were clustered around the table, Marcus hovering over Elbert's shoulder. "Though if you'll pardon me, I wouldn't mind having a glass of that wine myself."

"How old are you?"

"I'm over the age in Ilia. I promise. It's fifteen there."

"That is the same age as Etruria," I noted absently. When neither Elbert nor Marcus moved, I did to get her the wine myself. "Anyone else want some? There are three bottles here, and all are very nice years."

"I think I need some," Madelyn sighed. She looked a little over her head. "Hassar?"

"No, thank you," Hassar answered. He made a little face when I glanced over. "Wine is basically water." … _Someone_ had a high tolerance. "Hall is completely empty." Right, so.

"I am here tracking rumors," Elbert sighed, taking the hint to get explaining. I passed out the glasses of wine to Madelyn and Maria, and kept one for myself. Though when Uther held out a hand, I passed mine over so he could have a sip. "The unrest in the Alliance… from everything I can tell, all causes originated here in Laus. I think Marquess Laus-"

"Marquess Laus technically refers to Darin now," Uther noted. He passed me back my wine, and shrugged. "I know you were referring to Maric, but thought I'd let you know."

"What did you do?"

"I didn't do anything!" He sounded comically outraged. "He's the one who hired Amanda, and Amanda killed him for being cheap." He winced when I bopped him on the head. "Okay, okay, killed him for trying to hurt her because she called him out of being cheap. 3000 gold, Elbert. I'm worth far more than that."

"Yes, 4000 at least." I liked Elbert. "Regardless, I don't think Darin is actually involved. I know he chafes a bit at Ostia being in control, but he keeps quiet on it because you and your father are capable." Elbert shook his head, glancing at Madelyn. "Your opinion?"

"I'm inclined to agree, personally," Madelyn confirmed. She sipped her wine, humming a little. "Oh, this is nice." It really was a nice vintage. "Regardless, even if he wanted to do something more, there is no way he would risk it. Erik would be dragged into whatever mess he had, and he loves Erik more than anything. He wouldn't dare do anything to risk him."

"Yes, there are few fathers who would risk their children," Elbert agreed. His soft smile reminded me that he was a father himself. "So, we just need information on what Maric was up to, and I think we can solve the civil unrest, and free up resources to help you with the murders." Oh, if that was the case…

"I will go poke around then," I replied, setting my wine down and heading out the door. Let us see… if I could snag a maid's outfit, then I could poke around a little more easily than I could in a dress. I would have to dodge servants, of course, but…

"Amanda, the hell are you doing?" I glanced back to see Uther following me. "Don't go wandering off on your own," he grumbled. I remembered him mentioning he wanted to avoid that with me, but surely Albert was not here, so… "What are you even planning?"

"Getting a maid's uniform." I continued down the hall, glancing about for anything that looked like a laundry. "I can sneak around and look for information, while you and the others check out other things." Servants were invisible. I could do a lot more poking.

"I already have permission to poke around." Yes, but that did not mean much of anything. He could rescind the permission at any moment. "It's also just not going to work."

"It will if you know what you are doing." I used this trick a few times to get close enough to a target to kill. "Uther, just let me work."

"I'm saying-" He paused, stopping when I did. "That's…" We had soldiers heading our way. Soldiers in Etrurian armor. "Hide!" He snagged me by the arm and dragged me into an alcove. "Serious question, Amanda."

"Yes?"

"What does this Albert look like?"

"Blonde hair, blue eyes, scar across his cheek from when he and Nicky had a training bout and Nicky split his face." My blood ran cold when I saw him wince. "Is he…?"

"Well, there's someone matching that description in the group." O-oh… "Damn it, Darin, why didn't he mention this?"

"They are cousins." I needed to hide. I really needed to hide. "Maybe it did not occur to him to mention."

"Maybe." Uther bit his lip, shifting to block the alcove slightly. There was no way it would be enough, and the second someone glanced inside… I needed something safer, something…

One idea popped into my head, probably from the part of me that had spent far too much time with Hellene and Cristina in the past. I hesitated at it, frightened, but I was _far_ more terrified at the chance of Albert finding me here. So, I tugged at Uther's shirt, to catch his attention, and when he gave it, I whispered, "sorry." Before I could give him a chance to react, I leaned up and kissed him.

He stiffened, shocked, hands falling to my shoulders. But I think he got _why_ I was doing this because he slowly relaxed, shifting so that the only my dress and hair could be seen by anyone passing by. His mouth was soft, and he tasted of the wine. His hands were gentle as they trailed down my back, tugging me into a protective embrace. When we parted to breathe, he gave me a concerned look before returning to kissing me again, slow and languid, constantly checking that I was okay. Even though… even though I was the one who started this…

"Oh, my." At the voice, Uther broke off the kiss, and hid my face in his shoulder. I forced myself to relax and breathe. I knew that voice. Albert. "I didn't know my cousin had guests," he continued. Cold politeness. It was really him. "I am Albert. You are?"

"Uther," Uther answered. His voice was ragged, and he tugged me even closer. "My apologies. This area is normally… well, wasn't expecting anyone."

"I must say the same." Albert laughed warmly. It made my skin crawl. "Who is the pretty girl?"

"My fiancé. It hasn't been announced officially yet, though."

"Ah, congratulations." I could feel his eyes boring into me. "My, what pretty blonde hair…" I stiffened when I felt him pick a lock up, one dangerously close to my face. "It's the same color as my own fiancé's."

"Then you must have a very beautiful fiancé too." Uther's free hand came up and removed Albert's hand from my hair. "My pardon, but in Lycia, that is really quite rude."

"My deepest apologies. I did not mean to offend." I could not breathe. "Is it not rude to hide someone's face, though?"

"She is the shy sort, and is hiding from mortification." Fear. I was afraid. I pressed a little deeper into Uther, hoping it would not… "If I can beg your forgiveness?"

"Certainly." He chuckled, low and deep. I tried to not whimper. That chuckle… it had never meant anything good. "We should talk more later, Uther. I think you would be a fascinating conversation partner."

"We can arrange something at another time. You have so many guards right now, though, that you seem to be on your way."

"Yes, I must return to my home. There seems to have been some sort of complication in a personal project." I heard footsteps slowly moving away. "Perhaps you might visit. I'm sure you would be intrigued."

"I'll get back to you on that."

"I look forward to it." I held absolutely still as the voice and footsteps slowly faded away.

When they did, Uther pulled back, letting go of me entirely. I hugged myself to ward off the cold, and my own shivers. "Your grandfather chose to disown you over not wanting to marry _him_?" Uther asked dryly. His eyes were fierce, and his posture stiff. His fists shook at his side. "Would I get in trouble in Etruria if I punched a corpse? I am _really_ tempted."

"Well, maybe," I answered. I tried to make my voice light, but it shook too much. "I am sorry."

"It's not your fault that he's-"

"N-not that." Well, it was partially that, but I was more focused on… "For forcing that…" For forcing a kiss on him.

"Ah. That." He sounded nonchalant, but I just felt _nauseous_ , ready to throw up. "Amanda." I closed my eyes tightly, digging into my arms. He reached over to pry them off before I broke the skin. "Hey." I shook my head, just… disgusted with myself. I was so scared that… that… "Amanda." He sighed a little, and I braced myself for whatever anger he justifiably had. Instead, though, he brought my hands up to kiss them gently. "There, we go." I 'felt' more than 'heard' the words, and I opened my eyes in shock. "We're even."

"But…" How did that…? I just…

"We're even." He brought my hands down, still holding them, and smiled softly. I felt like crying. "Hopefully next time we have to pull something like that, we get a little more heads up." I could only laugh bitterly. "Where did you get the idea?"

"…Romance novels I used to read, and the fear of being caught." I dropped my head. "If… If I had been alone…"

"You probably would have come up with a better way to hide." Perhaps, but… "Regardless, Amanda, we're even."

"…Okay…" I sighed, making myself relax. "Okay." I gently tugged my hands out of his, feeling myself droop. "I am-"

"Even." Okay. Okay, okay. "So, be careful going forward, darling~"

"Stay safe, dear." The words were automatic and dry, and I could not help but laugh when I realized it. "You did that deliberately."

"Maybe." He shrugged, grinning. "I'll organize the others. You go do what you need to."

"Okay." I hesitated before bowing. "Thank you. For keeping me safe."

"I'm just glad it worked." I glanced up and saw him smiling. "So, get me some good information, okay?"

"You know it."

* * *

By the time I made it to the laundry and stole a maid's outfit, I had managed to stop shaking. Once changed, I wandered about the castle under the guise of 'cleaning', avoiding the actual servants as best as I could. Servants tended to know each other, and I couldn't get away with 'new servant' very easily.

Thanks to that, I was able to get inside the dead lord's study without anyone questioning, and I was able to rifle through papers _before_ anyone came by to 'clean' and purposely or accidentally hide evidence. It was a good thing, as I found a _lot_ of papers that made it clear the dead lord was a full, and willing, participant in whatever Albert had going on.

Some noise made me pause, and I quickly pocketed the papers, and straightened up from the desk, lies on my lips. Only for me to pause because the source of the noise… had been a little child shuffling inside. They blinked at me slowly, eyes curious. Was this…?

"Erik?" I called. The child smiled shyly. "Hi there." Carefully, I walked over and picked him up. He giggled and hugged my neck. "I bet your dad is looking for you." Where was his mother? Was she dead? He was so young… maybe she had died in childbirth. It was horrifyingly common. "Let's see…"

"Amanda?" I glanced down the hall and smiled when I saw Hassar walking up. "Are you all right?" he asked, eyes worried. I hesitated in answering. I was used to lying, but it felt wrong to lie to him. "Will you be all right?"

"I think so," I replied. I smiled wryly. "Did Uther…?"

"All Uther said was that someone from your past is involved, and it unnerves you." Uther… "We will wait for you to tell us more, and if it is never, then so be it."

"…Everyone in this group is weird." Myself included. "Regardless, I found some information…" Erik tightened his hold on my neck, reminding me that I was still holding him. "I think this little one needs to get to his dad, though."

"Here, I'll take him." Hassar gently extracted Erik from my arms, and held him easily. "Hello there, little one." He bounced Erik and made him laugh. "Come on. Let's get you to your papa."

"You're good with children." His resulting smile was… sad. Pained. So much so that I could not help but ask, "You okay?" He hesitated in answering. Sacaeans did not lie. "Will you be okay?"

"Yes." That, at least, was something he could answer. "I will be."

"Okay." I left without another word. It was clear he wanted some time to himself.

Instead, I headed back to Elbert's room, where Uther, Madelyn, and Elbert were talking. Uther immediately got to his feet when he saw me, eyes concerned. I smiled, and he smiled back. I was okay. I was going to be okay.

"Did you find something?" Madelyn asked. Her smile was warm as she took my hand and tugged me fully inside the room. "Elbert has offered to assist us!" Oh? "Well, more than he blackmail Uther into letting him help, by threatening to tell my father." Something told me Hausen was _not_ a man to anger lightly. "We were thinking about heading back to Ostia and making plans on visiting Etruria. I still do have the plans for vacationing, after all."

"Where were you planning on going anyway?" I asked. I took out the papers and passed them to Uther before darting to a side-room to change out of the maid uniform. "Can you pass me a dress, Madelyn?"

"Sure." She giggled, and handed me a pretty brown dress. "I was heading to Aquelia. I wanted to see the market, and expand my horizons."

"It is a bit of a mess." Always had to go with three guards. I remembered that. "Beautiful jewelry, though. Some of the best cinnamon pastries."

"Oh, that sounds lovely~"

"It was." Changed, I stepped out of the room to join the others. "Where are Maria and Marcus?"

"Maria is checking that the Etrurians left, at my request, and Marcus is getting us all food." Was Marcus a knight or a butler? "I'm not sure where Hassar is."

"He is getting Erik back to Darin."

"Oh, is he?" Madelyn giggled, smile warm. "He's amazing, isn't it?" …Well… yes, but Madelyn, your face was lighting up that too much. "Though, he doesn't take very good care of himself. He doesn't eat right, and he stays up far too late." She sighed, drooping slightly. "I worry…" I was going to change the subject.

"So, what exactly is the plan for getting into Etruria?" I asked, plopping down next to Uther. "Use Madelyn's travel plans?"

"Well, to a point," Elbert answered as Madelyn sat down next to me. "We've lost Uther to those papers, so it's up to us to come up with a tentative plan for Maria, Hassar, and Marcus to punch holes through." His smile was surprisingly warm as he looked at me. "What suggestions do you have, Amanda?"

I gave him a slightly skeptical look. "You know… I would have expected a little more yelling about the attempted murder of Uther." I glanced at Madelyn. "Same to you, actually."

"If you'll recall, you saved my life," Madelyn immediately pointed out. "You have also been very kind in teaching me knives." Well… "It's also fun watching you and Uther banter."

"For my part, I see no reason to not trust you," Elbert explained. I gave him an exasperated look. "You are helping now. Uther clearly saw something in you, and I see a kind heart." …How… freaking naïve could you get?! This man was going to get himself killed, mark my words. "Regardless, planning."

"Yes! Let's!" I was going to get a headache thanks to these two. I just knew it.

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. I tend to sing nursery rhymes when going for a killing, both out of habit and because it unnerves the target. One of my pet peeves is people insulting those who are helping out of the kindness of their hearts. I am terrified of Albert, to the point of doing things I feel are wrong in order to stay 'safe' from him. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia. In terms of political power, he's about equal to a 'prince', but he corrects people quickly about that term, since Lycia has no kings or princes. Target of Laus possibly to start a civil war, but this is still unconfirmed. Seems to have a 'healthy respect' of Lord Hausen. He is also INCREDIBLY INFURIATING… and stupidly kind. He's terribly forgiving, and… a surprisingly gentle kisser. Wields axes. Might teach him knives while I'm at it. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary. Hails from the Lorca tribe, but doesn't say why he's not there now. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Acknowledges that the world is cruel, and often deals with people calling him 'savage', but still feels like its worth living up to ideals. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies and he teaches Madelyn swords. Has a gorgeous horse and apparently a high tolerance for alcohol. There's something about him and kids, but I'm not prying. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Maria, Ilian Knight. Hired by Marquess Thria to 'escort' some ladies to some fortress and feels ashamed by it. Chose to end her contract, and took up with us to atone for it. Knows hand to hand combat, and will be teaching some to Madelyn. Is a bit of a fretter, apparently. Wields lances. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· ** _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Apparently the light of her father's life. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Laughs when she fails at something, at least in non-life-or-death settings. Frets over Hassar, and I think she might be falling for him. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· ** _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae. Took up the title two years ago, and married his childhood love, Eleanora, last year. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He and Uther have apparently been friends since he was a child. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Marcus, knight of Pherae. Or is it butler? All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. His loyalty is such that he doesn't balk at working with me, though he definitely seems very wary and skeptical. I think he is the only smart one. He is also the oldest of us, a feeling I think he is… well… feeling. A cavalier who specializes in lances. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

* * *

Author's Notes: And Elbert and Marcus have joined the cast! Yay! I'm assuming Erik is around the same age as Eliwood and Hector, maybe a little older.

Next Chapter – Darkness


	8. Chapter 8) Darkness

Chapter 8) Darkness

* * *

 _Lady Sarah was very unprepared to fill her mother's shoes, especially with the added stigma of being a traitor's daughter. So, instead, she forged her own path, and created the first Valkyrie unit of the Etrurian army, led by herself, all riding Hanover horses._

 _Then, slowly, she made other countries reliant on Hanover horses, just to have a chance in a fight should things come to blows. It was in her reign that Hanover's power was absolutely secured. No one could make it falter. After all, no one wanted to anger the house that supplied your cavalry._

* * *

I really did enjoy flying. It was not _quite_ as good as riding a horse at a gallop, but it was a close second.

"Enjoying yourself back there?" Maria laughed, flashing a grin over her shoulder. I simply smiled back in reply. "Ah, I love flying at night. I feel like I am swimming through the stars." Moonless night too. Those had always been the best for assassinations. "Oh, but we better keep a look at the ground. We're supposed to be finding a good place to camp for the night."

"Very true," I confirmed. It was a little hard to remember, being so far up. I wonder… if I made a wish on a star right here, would the stars actually hear it? Ah, probably not. Such things were worthless anyway, and I doubted being closer would help at all. "I am surprised how easy it was to leave Laus."

"Yeah, I keep expecting something." We left Laus yesterday, and had experienced no trouble as we made our way to Ostia. "But we're already towards the mountains." From up here, I could almost peek over them and see Hanover. "Anyway, where was I?"

"You were telling me about your friend and her daughters?"

"Right, Anthea!" Maria laughed, warm and bright. "So, Anthea was my senior when training. We grew up together, so she's always basically been my big sister. She has two daughters now. Cute little Fiora is two, and Farina was just born. I haven't met her yet, but I got a letter!" She sighed. "Damn well gave me a heart attack. I thought she died!"

"Why would you think that?"

"It's tradition among the knights, both the cavalry and pegasi units." She sighed, drooping now. "Ilian mercenaries sell their blood for money. If one of us dies in a bed, it's because it's in an infirmary and we served a nice person or we're sick. No Ilian has died peacefully from old age since Barigan's time."

"I… imagine Etrura does not help with that."

"Etruria uses us, _but_ they also pay well when we manage to survive. It's like a destructive romance." Ha… "But, anyway, the letters. They're like our wills. They are our way of informing our loved ones that we're dead. We're gone. And no, you're probably not going to get the body back."

"Body back?"

"There are not graves in Ilia. Just memorials, mostly in Edessa, because few Ilians die on Ilian soil." Oh… "You can write multiple letters. It's even encouraged. Family, lovers, dearest friends… Anthea promised me that one of her letters would go to me. I promised her the same." She paused and glanced back. "All of my letters are in my saddlebag, marked with a red star. If something happens…"

"I will make sure they are delivered." What else could I say? It was clearly important. "So, Anthea."

"Right, I got the letter about Farina, and thought it was her will." She giggled, back to good cheer. "Ah, I can't wait to go back and meet her. She's probably _adorable_. Fiora is. Apparently, Fiora's all happy about being a big sister too, and about Anthea's new boyfriend."

"New boyfriend?"

"Anthea's husband was killed a few months ago, on some job from Bern. She found out she was pregnant a few weeks prior to it." Oh. "So, it's probably not a _new boyfriend_ , but rather a male friend who is helping out Anthea, but it wouldn't surprise me if they ended up together. Relationship turnover tends to be fast in Ilia, and I know there was always strong affections between her and him."

"Is that so?"

"Yeah, our lives are short. Unlike other countries, Ilia doesn't have special colors for mourning, or special funerals, or anything. It's too much money, and too much time. We mourn quickly, fall in love quickly… all because we know that we're most likely dead by thirty." That sounded… so sad… "Oh, I bet if they have a kid, it'll be a girl with pretty purple hair like him!" Why a girl? Then again, maybe girls were just more valued in Ilia. Ilia's chief 'export' was the pegasus knights, after all, and pegasi only let girls ride them. "Hey, Amanda?"

"Yeah?"

"Is there something glinting below?" At her words, I glanced down. And I froze when I realized… "I was right?"

"Dodge. Arrows." Maria got her pegasus to arc up, out of range of the arrows that tried to shoot us down. I thought I saw a couple brush against the pegasus's hooves, but there were other things to worry about now. "Well, damn." Etrurian soldiers, lining the road, and hiding in the woods based on the rustling. "Chances of us being able to just turn back?"

"Not very likely. I'm honestly not sure we're going to make it back before the others ride into them, and there's more than enough to cut off our escape back." Oh, hell. "I hate being right." Yeah, but why was there a trap here? I would have expected something as we left Laus, or when we got into Ostia, but why on the road by…?

My breath caught when I saw Albert looking up. Right at me. And he was smiling slowly. He had figured it out. He had figured out that it was me back there. That was… he knew it was me, and he knew that Uther was an enemy to him. He was here to deal with both 'problems' in one fell swoop.

Never did I think I would hate the night so damn much. This was going to be bad.

* * *

I was wrong. It was even worse than bad. This was far beyond 'bad'. Albert had people stationed all along the road, so we were surrounded on all sides, and there were far too many people to kill. It was a free-for-all, and we were losing because we got ourselves trapped from not paying enough attention to the sides of the road.

"Please tell me that whoever is at my back is an ally?" That shaky voice belonged to Madelyn. I barely registered her warmth at _my_ back. "Please?"

"It is me, Madelyn," I replied. I heard her breath a sigh of relief, and glanced back to check on her. She was completely splattered with blood and mud, and her hands shook. "So, how we doing?"

"Let me get back to you on that one." She gave me a tired smile, and I noticed how wan she looked. "Forgive me, but do you have a trick?"

"I would not recommend it." I glanced around the area, relying on my good sight to try and figure out if we were actually making a dent in the attackers. I froze when I noticed Albert fighting Uther, sword flashing and scoring deep hits. Albert… had always been good at dueling…

"Hilda?"

"Y-yes…?"

"Is that a paladin coming up behind us?" Startled, I turned to look, blinking slowly as I realized she was correct. There was a lone paladin, coming right for us. "Green hair, brown eyes, moustache?"

"Yes?" I glanced at her. "Why?"

"Oh, good. I was making sure I wasn't hallucinating." She waved her arm tiredly, smiling. "Eagler! Help us out!" Who?

"Lady Madelyn!" The paladin rode straight for us, smiling warmly, even though his eyes were worried. "I am glad to see you are still alive," he murmured, bowing in the saddle. "What is going on? Why are you…? Where did you even learn to fight?" Apparently fight well, since she was not _dead_ yet. Hassar was an amazing teacher.

"Later, Eagler," Madelyn replied. Her smile was relieved. "As I said, we need assistance, now. The whole thing is complicated. Where's Wallace?"

"We split up to try and find you."

"Well, he's lost in the mountains by now." Ha! "So, Eagler, get moving. I am _most_ serious."

"Lady Madelyn, you should fall back and-"

"Eagler, that was not a request." Her smile fell, and for a brief second, I was reminded of _Hellene_ of all people. The same air of command. "Go assist. Amanda keeps me nice and safe." I had not been doing such a thing, but I waved anyway. I smiled when Eagler gave me a wary look. "Amanda, where is a good place for him to go?"

"Uther," I answered immediately. I glanced over in time to see Albert score another hit. "I think he is losing the duel with Albert." That… was a bad one… "Actually, I think Uther is in danger of dying." Well, that got Eagler moving. By my eyes, he reached them easily too. Good. "That is…?"

"Eagler, knight of Caelin, and one of my two guards," she answered easily. Oh, right she mentioned… wait, I thought she had told me she had only one guard? Maybe I just missed the mention of the second one. "Amanda, I think… I think we need to get out of here." Yeah… okay, we were on the way to Ostia. We were not far, but the way _to_ Ostia was definitely blocked. So, perhaps…

"Coordinate with Hassar and Maria to find a weak point, ideally to the north, and then get Marcus and Elbert to charge through and make for the mountains." I flipped my knife in my hands, breathing in deeply to steady my nerves. The _only_ place I could think of that was safe was across the mountains and into… "I am going to continue fighting." At least we had more horses than 'walkers'. "Go, quickly."

"On it!" She was off, and I charged into the fray, singing a nursery rhyme as I fought. It echoed rather… eerily over the battlefield. Even by my standards.

 _"There was a crooked man…"_

A lance user caught Madelyn in the leg not three steps away from me. I cut them down in a heartbeat, and kicked their corpse into another to knock them off guard. When their helmet flew, I took their head as my prize, and I kicked it at a charging cavalier to make the horse freak out.

 _"Who walked a crooked mile."_

Elbert took a lance straight through his shoulder, but despite what had to be massive pain, he kept on charging, actually ripping out the lance to kill the knight that tried to cripple him. Blood streamed down his face from a graze above his eye, forcing him to keep it closed, but he kept on fighting. He was a man who could not die, apparently.

 _"He found a crooked sixpence…"_

Someone tried to run down Madelyn, taking advantage of her wounded leg. Hassar intercepted it, taking a horrible injury to his side. He had just enough strength, or momentum, to drag Madelyn up into his saddle. She repaid the favor by cutting down the cavalier as they passed, though the poor way she held the sword meant she lost it in the corpse.

 _"Against a crooked stile."_

Marcus ran down an archer aiming for Maria, swaying in his saddle. His eyes were wide, terrified, and I did not think he was entirely in the present. He was slipping into the past, trying desperately not to, and it led to a bad injury to his leg. But he slammed his lance straight through their skull, and kept on fighting despite the terror.

 _"He bought a crooked cat…"_

Eagler nudged his horse in the side, and his horse suddenly reared, lashing out with hooves to try and cave in Albert's skull. He dodged, sadly, but the action bought Eagler enough time to heft Uther into his saddle. Uther's axe slipped from bloody fingers, and I truly wondered if he was dead. There was so much blood…

 _"Which caught a crooked mouse."_

Elbert yelled wordlessly as he rode to Eagler, taking Uther from him. I thought I saw Uther breathing, but was not sure. Elbert was crying, and Eagler went with Marcus to punch a hole to the north. Hassar shot someone to cover him, but I was not sure who bled more: him or the dead man.

 _"And they all lived together…"_

Something snagged my hair, jerking me back. I twisted to try and gut the person, but was frozen by a kiss. Dominating, painful, forceful. Albert. His kisses were still the same. He pulled away with a smirk, eyes glittering in triumph. It took everything I had to move, cutting my hair to break free. He only seemed to laugh, casually tossing my cut hair into the mud as he stepped forward. I settled into a stance, seriously debating if I was going to try and stab him, or kill myself to make sure I escaped.

 _"In a crooked little house."_

Maria swooped by me before I had to decide, and I jumped into the saddle. She lifted into the air, wincing as she twisted and urged her pegasus higher and higher, and I noticed her injuries. Grazes mostly, but bleeding badly. I pressed against the worst one, and looked down. Albert was looking up, smiling right at me again, and I shuddered, leaning into her. I knew exactly what was going on. I had seen him do this before, many times. He had done it to _me_. We were not escaping. He was letting us run so he could enjoy the chase.

He had not changed one bit in five years. Ugh, why did he have to be involved in something like this?

* * *

Next Chapter – Tears


	9. Chapter 9) Tears

Chapter 9) Tears

* * *

 _During the reign of Lady Sarah, strange rumors began cropping up. The Lady Hildegard, despite having to be over a hundred, was supposedly sighted on the border between Etruria and Sacae, along with Lady Fiona. Ridiculous, of course. Some drunkard's mad hallucination._

 _Still, efforts were made to figure out what was going on, and nothing came from it. And many remembered, during that time, that no one had witnessed the Lady Hildegarde's death, or Lord Alberich's. They both just… disappeared after their abdications, much like how Saint Elimine vanished in the Tower of the Saint, ascending to the heavens._

* * *

I was honestly surprised none of us were dead. I really was.

We were hiding in the mountains, some cave system. You used to hear stories of how the Heroes, when Ostia was under siege during the Scouring, hid out here while they set up a plan to end the siege in one decisive battle. How they struck from the heavens to bring the dragons crashing down to the earth, all according to plan. It would be funny if we were hiding in one of the same caves, but I highly doubted it. I'd guess we were more than halfway through at this point.

Sighing, I looked up from bandaging my legs to check on the others. Madelyn was helping Hassar with his injuries, insisting on them since he had taken bad blows protecting her. Elbert was half-passed out, and I was very worried by how bad his injuries were. I was also very surprised he was not dead yet, but he had to have his bandages changed practically every hour. Eagler, the least wounded of us, was scouting behind, helping us guess how much time we had to rest. Marcus was standing guard just in case, Maria was tending to the horses, and Uther was passed out.

I glanced back at him, wincing at all the injuries he had. Albert had taken his time, intending on torturing him to death. While that did mean he was not dead now… well, it was like with Elbert. If we did not get help soon, I was certain both would die. I was certain we would all die. Maybe Uther and I should have enlisted the help of a cleric. Maybe _one_ of them would have been willing to help out the whores and kids.

"We need to think of a plan." Hassar's gently yet serious words summed up the entire mood of the group. We _had_ to think of something. "Should we make our way to Ostia still?" he asked, holding still as Madelyn bandaged up his arm. She had already gotten his torso patched up, but I could see the blood seeping through. "We can't go through the front, but perhaps a back way."

"There _is_ a back way into Ostia castle," Elbert confirmed. His voice was shaky, and I noticed how wan he was. I still did not know how he was not at least passed out. "It was used during the Scouring to help those trapped outside during the Siege come in. But I think the way was blocked by landslides back then, so we would have to do a lot of climbing. A lot of climbing the horses would not be able to make, especially right now." That was assuming _we_ could make it. "If we have the time to wait and heal…"

"You're going to be dead within a day if you don't get help." Hassar sighed, shaking his head. "We don't have time to wait."

"We can also barely move," Maria pointed out. She turned away from the horses and sat next to me, flinching as her wounds reopened. I tied off my own bandages, and went to work fixing her up. "Hassar, you think we can go to the Sacae?"

"If you are hoping for help from my tribe, the Lorca primarily wander in the east, closer to Bern," Hassar answered. He gave Madelyn a soft smile when she tied off his bandages, and she gave him a warm one back. "The Djute do tend to linger here in the west, but it is rare they travel close to the border due to the knights'… initiation."

"Initiation?"

"In order to obtain their title, squires are 'encouraged' to raid slums or to attack bands of 'savages', and purge them," I deadpanned. I remembered hearing about it. I remember not giving a damn, because why would I care about anything that did not involve finding the 'perfect' shampoo for my hair? I _really_ hated my younger self. "I would be very surprised if there were any Sacaeans within four day's ride of the border."

"Yes, that." Hassar turned to me, tilting his head curiously. "I was under the impression that it was not an 'official' thing, though it was an open secret," he murmured. His eyes were sharp. "Was I mistaken?"

"If it was mentioned in public, people would pay lip service to how 'horrid' the mere thought was, but no one actually did anything." I shook my head. "No, I found out because my cousin, Nicky, was a knight. I remember the day he came back from his initiation, the only one of his group to do so after crossing the border to deal with some 'bandits'." I slumped, remembering. I had been so scared. I had _never_ seen Nicky so broken. "He was a 'young knight', which means someone who was skilled enough to skip a few years of the traditional training, and had been so excited about fulfilling his dream. I thought at the time he was shaken by seeing his fellows die."

"Do you not think that now?"

"Honestly, if someone told me that the reason why Nicky was the only one who came back was because he _killed_ his fellows in a vain attempt to protect the so-called bandits, I would believe it." All I really knew is that after that, Nicky had never been very keen on 'loyalty to Etruria'. He still did his duty, of course, but his focus became less 'what was best for Etruria' and more 'what would make his family happy'. "But who knows? I certainly do not. The point is that if there are Sacaeans near who are willing to help us…"

"It would be a blessing from Father Sky and Mother Earth, and not something we need to depend on." Hassar shook his head. "I suppose that means we must go into Etruria."

"Is that really safe, though?" Madelyn asked. Her hands shook slightly as she went over to change Elbert's bandages again. I was _really_ worried about that shoulder injury. You had a lot of important blood vessels there, and while we did have it all covered up, it was still a puncture wound. "Etruria has very strict crossing laws."

"Yes, so strict that we can actually pull an advantage," I replied. I shifted slightly, waiting for everyone to turn to me. Well, except Marcus, who was guarding. "Those 'crossing laws' are also in place _within_ the country. Albert has no jurisdiction to hunt down someone anywhere but his own lands, which are to the north, closer to the border with Ilia."

"He also does not have 'jurisdiction' to attack us in Lycia," Marcus pointed out. He did not turn to face us, but continued to watch the path. "But he did."

"Etrurians are taught that Lycia is 'quaint', barely civilized, and in general, are 'lesser', with exceptions that prove the rule, not break it." I remembered thinking the same. Then I lived here for five years. "Albert will not give a damn at 'angering' Lycian lords. In his mind, the only ones worth anything would be his relatives."

"But he will have second thoughts angering the lord of whatever land we end up in?"

"Oh, yes, he will!" Madelyn gasped. She managed a smile, even as she continued fixing up Elbert. Elbert was starting to teeter. I was _seriously_ worried. "Because we are crossing into Hanover lands." Yes… "House Hanover is one of the Great Houses of Etruria, and you can make a case for them being one of the most powerful noble houses on the continent. This Albert isn't of similar lineage, is he?"

"No, he is not," I confirmed, shaking my head. He would have been if I had married him, though… "And also important is how… well, it has been a bit since I have been in Etruria, but it used to be that there was a _law_ stating that there must be at least one acolyte or bishop at every village, town, and city."

"So if we make it across, make it to a village, we can get everyone treated!"

"And deal with bringing this madman on innocent civilians," Marcus _immediately_ retorted. Now he turned to face us, eyes skeptical. "What proof is there that this Count Hanover will help us?" Well, none, but…

"I have… only heard good things about Count Hanover…" Everyone gasped and whirled, startled by Uther's voice. "Oh, ugh, I feel like I fell from the ramparts again," he groaned. Worriedly, I hovered over him, watching as he blinked slowly at me. "Amanda, what happened to your hair?"

"Idiot, you are suppose to compliment a lady on new haircuts," I scolded. It helped me hold back my tears of relief. I was so certain he was just going to die without waking up again. "That is simple manners."

"Oh, I am _so_ sorry, my dear. I think the head injury addled my poor brain."

"What brain, darling?"

"The one that is aching and protesting violently." He groaned again and tried to sit up. I shifted to keep him lying down. "That bad?"

"Worse than that. You are even more injured than Elbert, and I have no idea how he is still alive."

"Elbert, no dying while I'm nearby. I am _not_ explaining to Eleanora." Elbert's only reply to that was to laugh weakly. "Anyway, though, like I said, I have only heard good things about Count Hanover. It's worth the gamble, I think."

"More to the point…" We all looked back to the tunnel and saw Eagler returning. "They're here," he reported bluntly. All of us froze. We had no more time. "I did find markings that seem to show a path." What path…? Oh! The horse trade trail! "Hanover does use these mountains to trade with Lycian provinces. Perhaps we can up our chances of a response by following it, and ending up near to a town of significant importance." Yes, we could. If I recalled correctly, there was one only a half-day's ride… maybe we could make it there. "Regardless, we must _move_. I saw mages prepping spells." Meaning Albert was planning on smoking us out like rats, and then slaughter us as we tried to escape.

We had to escape _first_. That was the only way we had a chance.

* * *

We made it out of the tunnels relatively easily. It looked like someone had repainted the trail markers just recently, making them simple to find, but it was hard going. No one could run, and the ceiling of the tunnels was too low to ride safely, so we were stuck walking. Shouts would echo after us, a reminder that we were escaping, desperately trying to stay two steps ahead.

"Well, we're out," Marcus noted as we breathed in the fresh air. The sun was high overhead, beating down on us. "Now what? Send Maria up?"

"I will go with her," I volunteered instantly when Maria nodded. I glanced back worriedly at the tunnels, desperately trying to not shake. If Albert got me… if Albert got me, I really was going to just take a knife to my throat. "How is…?"

"Lord Elbert has passed out." I was not surprised. "Lord Uther is clinging to consciousness. Barely." That… was a bit surprising. I swore he had passed out again halfway through. "Lord Hassar? Sir Eagler? Lady Madelyn?"

"We're fine for now, Sir Marcus," Eagler answered. He mounted up, eyeing Hassar warily when Madelyn chose to ride behind him instead. "There are some trees nearby that we might be able to hide behind for a short bit. But it would not surprise me if they were climbing to simply barrage us from afar."

Maria and I exchanged a look and a nod, and it was not long at all before we were up in the air, trying to figure out which direction we had to run. "There's the city there," Maria finally noted, pointing in the distance. It was not too far, and if everyone was riding, even at a slow pace, we should… make it… I hoped. "What's with the flags, though?" Flags? "There, on the castle… estate… thing…"

"Oh, I see them now," I whispered, eyes narrowing. The design on them was… wait, was that really….? "Chrysanthemums…" The symbol of House Hanover… why would it be…? Oh, wait, of course. I had forgotten. Every year, we always made the trip down so that Grandfather could ride the trail and make sure it was still safe for use. That was why the trail markers were repainted. Nicky must have…

"That important?"

"If I am seeing correctly, it means the lord of the province is in residence." I felt… elated and nervous. Nicky was right there. If there was one thing in the world I could believe in, it was that Nicky would help me. But, I was also terrified of being wrong. "So, if we can just get close enough…" Something glinted out of the corner of my eye. "Arrow."

 _"Arrows_." Oh. Shit. Yeah, that was a bit of a rain of arrows heading our way.

Maria did her best to dodge, but two caught her pegasus straight through the wings and down we fell. Noting how close we were to some trees, I snatched Maria and twisted us both out of the saddle, to give the pegasus a chance of righting itself, and to increase _our_ chances of surviving as we crashed into the branches.

Pain screamed through me when we finally stopped. The snapped branches above showcased our path down, and I found it hard to breath. After all, thanks to the twist, I ended up below Maria, meaning I had large bits of those broken branches stuck _in_ me. At least, they _felt_ large.

Maria seemed fine, though, except for her previous injuries ripping open. That was a little blessing right there, and a quick glance down showed that her pegasus was still alive, stomping at the dirt anxiously.

"Amanda, you alive?" Maria asked, carefully shifting so that she was off me. I simple groaned in reply. "Thanks for saving me." Yeah, no problem. Oh, _hell_ , the pain… "Um… ah, Marcus, over here! Amanda needs help down." Considering where the pain seemed localized, I had a sneaking suspicion I was going to need help breathing before long. "Where did those arrows come from?"

"The mountains," Marcus answered, stopping just below us. He easily stood up in the saddle, actually _on_ the saddle, and reached up. "Maria, you first so that there's less chance of dislodging on accident." Maria easily dropped down into his waiting arms and he set her down easily. "Miss Amanda?" I held up a hand to tell him to wait. Blood was already streaming down it. This was bad. "What do I need to do?"

"Hold the branch steady," I hissed. This was a _lot_ of pain, and all I could think right now was how there was a rumor about the resilience of the family. We were apparently really good at getting _really injured_ and somehow surviving. I was definitely, _definitely_ pushing the boundaries of that rumor right now. I just knew it. "I need to push myself up." Though, this did remind me of how my father died. Trampled by horses, but still managed to survive _long enough_ to get the rest of his group to safety. He had been the only death of the group.

"Okay." He did exactly what I asked and I was never so grateful to a person. "Careful."

"Yeah, yeah." I took a shuddering breath and made myself move, singing a nursery rhyme to keep me focused. "Little robin redbreast sat upon a tree~ up went the pussycat and down went he~" I whimpered as I felt _something_ rip itself from my back. Yeah, okay, if there was some truth to the whole 'send someone of House Hanover into a fight, because no matter what happened, they were going to live through the injuries' thing, now was a _really good time for it to prove itself_. "Down came the cat, and away robin ran~" Blood dripped into onto Marcus's face as shoulders, but even as he flinched, he held the branch steady for me. "Says little robin redbreast, catch me if you can~" I was sitting. I was sitting. That was good.

"Here, let me help you down now." He carefully let go of the branch to hold out his hands. Unlike Maria, I used them to steady myself as I climbed down, standing on the saddle behind him. And that was when I discovered something terrifying. I could not move my right arm at all. "Dare I hope you two managed to see anything?"

"Actually, we did," Maria chirped. She helped me down off the horse, and Madelyn was _instantly_ behind me, carefully pressing a blanket to my injuries in an attempt to stop the bleeding. I still could not move my right arm. This was very bad. That was my dominant hand. "Amanda thinks Count Hanover is in residence at the nearby town, which means that if we can get close enough…"

"Eagler, didn't you do business with him not long ago for Father?" Madelyn asked. I turned to look at her, but she twisted me back. "You just focus on breathing, Amanda. You are officially as wounded as Uther and Elbert." Oh. Joy. "But Eagler, didn't you?"

"I did, Lady Madelyn." I heard someone approach, and noticed Eagler actually made a point of walking around to talk to my face, instead of just talking above or behind me. That was… nice of him. "You are certain?" he asked me. I just did my best to nod, while also shrugging. "You are relatively certain." That got him simple nod. "All right. Then I will ride ahead and see if I can beseech Count Hanover." Nicky, please be willing… "You all just focus on escaping. They have not escaped the mountains quite yet by my eyes. He just has mages and snipers-"

"Move!" Hassar's shout made all of us stumble forward, just in time for the tree to explode into flames. "Sir Eagler, I think you should just go and hope that we are still alive when you return," he murmured. Eagler simply nodded, and mounted out, galloping away in a zigzag pattern to make himself a little harder to target. "Archers for the open, mages for the trees, and soldiers ready to run us over." Yes, I could see them. Eagler did not have very good farsight. "Why must this lord be smart?"

No one even bothered to reply. We just did our best to move forward, in the direction of the town. When we ventured too far into the open, arrows would rain. One caught Madelyn in the leg, but she continued hobbling with barely anything more than gritted teeth and quiet tears. When we ventured too close to a tree or something to hide, a mage would set it aflame with an Elfire. The flames caught Maria on the arm, but she just threw a javelin as hard as she could at the approaching soldiers. I think she caught one in the chest.

But despite our efforts, we soon found ourselves in front of a large thicket of trees, with mages ready to set it all on fire just to kill us, and approaching soldiers ready to stick us with sharp objects until we were good and dead. We were backed into a corner, basically, with three of us (including me) too wounded to fight.

Those that could fight shifted to do so. Madelyn stood protectively in front of me, Hassar and Marcus guarded Elbert and Uther, and Maria was ready to just charge forward. But, still, this… this was not good. Now, if this was one of the stories Grandfather would tell me by the fireplace, this was _exactly_ when the cavalry would arrive to save the day and all, but the chances of that happening were-

"What's going on here?" …Were apparently really damn good, considering someone rode up _right then_. "Soldiers of House Kerinei, what brings you to my lands?" Carefully, I turned, shifting my feet awkwardly, and could only stare when I realized who it was. Nicky. It was Nicky. He was older now, with a fierceness in his posture I remembered well, even if I did not recall his eyes being quite so dark. But it was him. It was really him. "Explain to me why you believe you have authority to act within my borders," he continued softly, with the edge of a growl under the words. "And set _fire_ to the orchards of this city." The lance in his hands only emphasized the threat hiding underneath. "I am waiting."

"C-Count Hanover…" I felt a wicked amount of _glee_ at just how terrified they were of Nicky. "We… ah…" the one in front stammered, eyes wide as they _desperately_ tried to figure out what to say. Albert was nowhere in sight. How surprising. Not. "We were pursuing these criminals, and did not realize we were in your lands, my lord."

"Given your positions, you would have been pursuing them from Lycia, where you _definitely_ do not hold authority."

"I-it's a favor for Lord Kerinei's cousin."

"Laus is in the middle of Lycia, and your help legally must stop at the border. I must thank Albert for bringing the threat of war to our borders. It certain suits him and his ways." Nicky looked so damn done. I loved it. "Go on with you. If these people are supposedly criminals, then _I_ shall deal with the matter."

"But my lord!"

"Enough of this." That was a… strangely cold and clinical voice. And the owner just seemed… off. Long, jet-black hair, abnormally pale complexion, blood-red lips, and eyes of glittering _gold_ … and their movements were strangely smooth, like they had a doll's joints. "I understand that you are a father, correct?" the person asked, strolling up like they owned the world. Nicky's expression blanked, and the tension in the air thickened. "Let us deal with the rabble, and your children will not be harmed." …Did this person seriously just threaten Nicky's kids? "Simple, yes?"

"Who are you exactly?" Nicholas asked softly, giving the person his most polite and warm smile. "I am afraid I do not recall."

"I serve Lord Albert at the behest of a… mutual friend." They shrugged elegantly. Seriously, the movements were too smooth. "This is a rather sensitive matter, so I am afraid I must resort to crass measures. Do forgive me."

"Oh, yes, one of Albert's new advisors, I remember." His smile warmed. "It is very nice to finally meet you, and you are most forgiven. I am sure you are in the middle of something very, _very_ important." I saw him loosen his grip slightly on his lance, switching how he held it. "So very important that you were addled and did not realize how stupid of an idea it is to threaten my children, in my own lands." He shifted in his seat. "Please, have a pleasant day in hell." And Nicky threw the spear as hard as he could.

The gold-eyed person, startled, used magic to knock it to the side, so it killed the 'leader' of the enemy instead. But Nicky had already charged forward, drawing the sword on his hip, and thanks to the gold-eyed person clearly not expecting anything but cowering, he _easily_ decapitate them. He made sure to trample the body into the ground for good measure, and slowed to a stop, bloody sword at his side, giving the remaining Kerinei soldiers a look that simply said, 'do you wish to try my temper as well?'.

The answer was a resounding 'no', given how they all fled as fast as possible.

"Times like this, it does pay to have a reputation," Nicky quipped, sheathing the sword and dismounting. He glanced at the corpse of the gold-eyed person, which by my eyes looked… strangely, it looked smaller than a corpse should? "Such arrogance to think I would just take that lying down, and even more arrogance to not prepare a proper defense." He shook his head and approached us. "Sir Eagler reached me not long ago, so fret not, I know you all are not criminals." Oh, that was a relief. "I was already on the way because I saw a pegasus knight be shot from the sky. I have Yodel, a healer, on the way, riding with Charles." Oh… wait, since when was Yodel a healer? "You lot are quite lucky. A day later, and I would not have been here."

"If we were quite lucky, we would not have been in this situation," I could not help but retort. I froze when Nicky turned to face me, expression passive. Some strange bits of dust danced in the wind, a little too light to be ash, but at the same time, what else _could_ it be? "You are very dramatic, though. Just as usual."

"Timing. I have good _timing_." It was an old correction, one we had 'argued' over often as children, and it made me smile tentatively. He returned my smile with one of his own. His 'real' smile. A little shy, a little boyish, but incredibly warm and gentle. "Welcome back, Mandy." 'Mandy'. He still… he still…! "I've missed you."

"Yeah, me too…" My voice cracked and I could not help but sob, tears streaming down my face as I lunged for him and hugged him with what little strength I had. But that was fine, because as he hugged me back, careful of my injuries, I could hear and feel him crying too.

Safe. I was safe. For the first time in five years, _I was safe_.

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. I tend to sing nursery rhymes when going for a killing or just to focus my mind. Bad injuries to my back have rendered my right arm immobile. But I can't be sad, because Nicky still sees me as 'family'. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia. He is INCREDIBLY INFURIATING… and stupidly kind. He's terribly forgiving, and… a surprisingly gentle kisser. Wields axes. Was badly injured by Albert. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary. Hails from the Lorca tribe, but doesn't say why he's not there now. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies. Has a gorgeous horse and apparently a high tolerance for alcohol. Badly injured protecting Madelyn. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Maria, Ilian Knight. Fighting with us to atone for what she did. Knows hand to hand combat. Fretter, but good at flying. Injured during the fight, which the fall exacerbated. Wields lances. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· ** _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Survived her first real battle with some injuries. Frets over Hassar, and I think she might be falling for him. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· ** _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae. Took up the title two years ago, and married his childhood love, Eleanora, last year. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He and Uther have apparently been friends since he was a child. Also apparently just can't freaking die considering how long he remained conscious with his injuries. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Marcus, knight of Pherae. Or is it butler? All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. He is also the oldest of us, a feeling I think he is… well… feeling. He is cautious and wary by nature, a trait that makes him very valuable. A cavalier who specializes in lances. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

· ** _Eagler, knight of Caelin. Apparently, has served the house since he was but a child, starting as a stable boy and slowly clawing his way to knighthood. Caelin since he was a child. While it is clear who is the knight and who is the noble, some of my observations make me think he and Madelyn share an almost sibling-like relation. He still has no idea what is going on, but he is faithful to Madelyn. It's clear to everyone that he will fight to the death to protect her. A paladin with equal skill in swords and lances, though he is still obviously learning axes. Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

* * *

Author's Note: There is no official age for Eagler, but I imagine he is somewhere near Wallace and Marcus. I really like the 'escape' missions in some Fire Emblem games because it just sort of adds a bit of a tension? Idk, I just like them.

Next Chapter – House Hanover


	10. Chapter 10) House Hanover

Chapter 10) House Hanover

* * *

 _Lady Sarah ruled long and well, kind and gentle, ushering in a new age of army tactics with her Valkyries. There was a grand funeral when she died, peacefully of old age, and the entire country mourned her passing._

 _It certainly was quite a legacy her son inherited. But Lord Nicholas, Nicky's namesake, certainly rose to the challenge._

* * *

The estate looked… newer. I think Nicky actually got around to repainting the place, and fixing the cracks in the pillars. The loose stones in the walkway. The inside had new curtains, and new rugs along the stone tiles. Different pictures hung on the walls, and different flowers were in the vases along the halls. But it was warm. It was safe. It was… wonderful, really.

"Welcome to my humble home," Nicky declared, bowing with a little flourish as we entered the main room. Foyer. Was it called a foyer? I completely forgot the names of rooms. "You must give some time for Charles to run about getting rooms in order." Because Nicky did not travel with his steward for such a short trip, meaning Charles pulled triple duty. Knight, butler, and babysitter. "Are you certain Marcus is all right to tend to the horses? I can do it."

"He finds it calming," Elbert replied. I was pleased to see him awake, and even more pleased to hear that, aside from some scarring, his injuries would not permanently cripple him. "Everything brought back some bad memories. Also, your home is beautiful."

"Thank you." Nicky looked a little too pleased. "Yodel, does anyone need to head to the infirmary?"

"Uther does, and I will have him knocked out and carried if he doesn't cooperate," Yodel grumbled. I still could not believe the young boy from town, who had wanted to be a mercenary, _was an acolyte of the church_. "See that I don't."

"Uther, behave," Madelyn scolded. She hovered worriedly over my shoulder, and I knew why. Yodel had to heal my back in stages, and while I could move my arm again, my fingers would not quite cooperate with me. That would make fighting awkward. Very awkward. "We're guests, anyway."

"But we have to talk serious stuff," Uther immediately grumbled. Madelyn threw up her hands in exasperation and he scowled. "Look, I know I almost died, but-"

"But today, you will _rest_ ," Nicky interrupted. He was giving his scary-polite smile. "Seriously, everyone, you almost died, and you literally didn't because of some damn lucky timing, and Eagler being a reckless person who charged through the gates to get to me." All eyes turned to Eagler, startled, but he simply shrugged. "So, everyone needs to rest. Relax. You can't make any good decisions if you're wound up."

"Okay, but can I ask a question or two?" Maria chimed in. She held up her hands. "One, are the stalls good for pegasi?"

"I believe so, but you are more than welcome to check for yourself after you've gotten checked over, as I am certain Yodel plans." I still could not believe Yodel was an acolyte. I really could not. "Your second question?"

"How do you know Amanda?" Ah. Right, we had not gone into that. "I mean… you're…"

"We're cousins." He gave me a look when I opened my mouth to point out that relation… no longer legally existed. "I didn't agree then, and I sure as _hell_ don't agree now. I never forgave him for it, and refused to have any contact with him for the rest of his life." Nicky… "Only went to the funeral because it was expected of me." Nicky, I love you. "Regardless, we're cousins, though Mandy and I grew up together due to our parents dying when we were young, so I think we sometimes act more like siblings." This was probably true. "While I'm remembering, Mark and Maria are out with Maira for riding lessons, so you'll see them later, Mandy."

"Maira?" I asked. It took me a full second to remember who he was talking about. "The flower seller? She works for you as a riding teacher?"

"Actually, she's the second in command of Hanover's forces, a powerful valkyrie." …WHAT DID I MISS IN FIVE FUCKING YEARS?! "Does that or Yodel being an acolyte freak you out more?"

"I will get back to you on that one." Still, I could not help but giggle as I watched Yodel bully Uther to the infirmary. "So, I am certain Charles is going to take a bit longer, so if you want a tour around, or just to step out into the gardens everyone…"

"My lord!" That… that sounded like Marcus. "I need assistance!" Yes, that was definitely Marcus. He looked rather frazzled, for some reason, as he leaned in the doorway. What happened? "I am being yelled at by a two year old," he yelped. The whole room could only stare. That… that was… uh…

"Three!" A child's voice, sharp and no-nonsense, corrected Marcus. I could not even see them. "I'm three!"

"My mistake." Who was talking? Mark and Maria should not be only three, and Nicky _just said_ they were out, and there was no way Nicky had children as young as three working for him in the stables. "Help." Uh… "Please." This was all kinds of hilarious, actually? I also had no idea how to help.

"Katarina," Nicky called, deciding to have mercy on Marcus. He looked entirely too amused by the situation. "You should be polite to our guests." A little girl, dressed in a pale green dress and her hair tied back with a matching ribbon, poked her head out from behind Marcus's legs. I was startled by how much like Nicky she looked. The same brown hair and amber eyes. "That means not yelling at them."

"But he's doing it wrong!" the little girl protested. She scowled, stomping her foot. "He's using the wrong brush! It's not the most ef… efi…" She screwed up her face. "Efi…"

"Efficient?"

"Yes, that!" She was definitely pouting now. "It's not the best! The poor horsies…"

"Yes, yes, poor horsies." Nicky beckoned the little girl over to him, and she obediently ran over. "Katarina, what should you say to our guests?" Katarina?

"Oh, wow, there's so many people!" Her eyes lit up and she smiled brightly. Nicholas bit back a laugh at how she _completely_ missed the point of the question. "Can I have a hug? I want a hug!" And she immediately bolted to Hassar, tackling his legs. "Hi~!" Oh, hell, she was adorable.

"…Nicky, who is she?" I finally just asked. The little girl was immediately charming the group, skipping around and giving everyone hugs, and I swore Maria and Madelyn were plotting how to kidnap the adorable girl. She seemed to favor Hassar, though. She clung to his hand after hugging the others, and he really did not seem to mind. "I do not remember her."

"My daughter, my second youngest," Nicky answered with a warm, indulgent smile. I think he had a favorite, even if he would never admit it. "Her name is Katarina. She's three years old."

"That explains why I…" Wait, hold on a second. " _Second_ youngest?"

"Anastasia is the youngest. She's a few months old. You can meet her later."

"You have four kids now?"

"Yes?"

"…Clearly you and Cristina have a favorite pastime."

"Mandy!" He sounded so indignant, and his face went so red, that I couldn't help but laugh and laugh. "You're incorrigible." Hahaha!

"Oh, goodness, what is with all the noise here?" My laughter faded, though, when I saw Cristina walk into the room. Five years had only made her prettier, and she looked over the room with scrutinizing eyes. "Nicky, what's going…?" she began slowly, tilting her head. Her gaze fell on me, though, and her words seem to die. "Mandy?" I waved awkwardly in reply, afraid to even smile. "You…" She scowled and I braced for the worse. "You're absolutely filthy." …Seriously? "And what did you do to your hair? It's raggedy."

"It's so nice to see that your awkward way of talking has not changed much," I deadpanned. She smiled sheepishly, and I finally smiled back. "I got caught in a fight, and… well, I would explain, but it shall involve a lot of curses, and there is a little one charming my friends." …'My friends'. The words just slipped out, but… yes, that was true. By this point, there was no other word to call them.

"I see that." She sighed, coming over to stroke my hair. "I'll cut your hair after your bath, even out the ends." Cristina… "But first…" She rounded on Nicky, who immediately held up his hands in surrender. "What is going on and what are you involved in _now_?"

"Nice to see how whipped he is has not changed either." Nicky burst into laughter, Cristina squawked a protest, and I smiled warmly. This was… this was so nice. I loved it.

* * *

After a long, long bath, that even had a veritable _forest_ of shampoos, conditioners, and bath scents to choose from, Cristina insisted that I borrow some of her clothes to change into. Then, while my hair was still wet, she dragged me into her salon… solar… her personal room in the house where she entertained guests. She sat me down and found some scissors to even out the ends.

"I see. So Albert is still hunting for you," she murmured as she carefully brushed and cut my hair. I had finished telling her everything that was going on. "Oh, I knew we should have gone with you, Mandy."

"It is fine, Cristina," I reassured. I held myself still, reminding myself constantly that Cristina would not hurt me on purpose. It was unnerving letting someone hold sharp things by my face now. How… she used to cut my hair often. It had been fun, back then. I wish it was as fun now. "I am fine."

"You are not. I see your hands shaking." Damn them for betraying me. "The absolute bastard. I bet he forced another kiss on you as soon as he got your hands on you." Yes… "If only there were places and laws that dealt with such things."

"Not here in Etruria, at least."

"I know. That's why Yodel joined up with the church." Oh? "…Some men tried to force his sister." His sister? I remember her. She had been kind and gentle, always giving me sweets. "She refused, and they killed her for it." …Oh… "Niime yelled that he should go after them, but after a long while, he just… decided to forgive and create a safe place."

"That is never going to happen."

"But it will not be for a lack of trying." I suppose… that was true. And, honestly, if there _was_ a chance it could happen, Yodel was stubborn enough. He always has been. "But that is a too serious topic. I'm sure you'll have enough of that tomorrow. Nicky will likely try to see if there's a connection between the troubles here in Etruria and what you're looking into." Troubles? What troubles? "Oh, I know. After this, would you like to go see Anastasia?" That… "You can hold her, like you used to do with Maria."

"…Are you sure I can?" I glanced down at my hands, self-conscious suddenly. "I feel like I'll just dirty up your baby girl." All the things I have done…

"…" Cristina reached down and clasped my hands. "Now, tell me. How are your hands any dirtier than Nicky's?" Huh? "Nicky was a knight, remember?"

"Yes, I remember." But I… "I am a thief, an assassin."

"He got paid to kill people too." That… "A warrior is a warrior. A fighter is a fighter. Soldier, knight, mercenary, assassin… they're all the same, in the end. They get a paycheck for fighting. They sell their blood, sweat, and tears for coin." Cristina… "And I'm willing to bet you have killed, directly or indirectly, less people than Nicky." Her grip tightened on my hands. "So, tell me, how are your hands any dirtier than Nicky's?"

"I…" My voice cracked, and I choked back tears. "S-sorry…"

"You had a rough five years. Please, don't be sorry for what they did to you." She let go of my hands and returned to trimming my hair. "So… ah, don't be frightened, but I think we have a visitor." Hmm?

"Mommy!" The door crashed open, revealing Katarina with a bunch of pretty flowers. "Lookie, look!" she cheered, bouncing over to us. "Look what Madelyn and I picked from the meadow!" I bet she enjoyed it too, a way to calm down from the previous fights.

"Oh, they're beautiful, sweetling," Cristina cooed. She stroked Katarina's hair, and Katarina giggled. "Do you want to put them in a vase?"

"Yeah!" Katarina looked at me, though, tilting her head curiously. "Oh, what's wrong? Why are you teary?" She reached up to touch my face, getting on the tips of her toes to touch my cheek. "Aw, don't be sad! Here!" She tugged a flower from the bunch and tucked it into my hand. "A flower to make you smile!"

"…Thank you, little one," I murmured. I made sure to smile, and she smiled back warmly. When she smiled, I saw Cristina in her, mostly in how kind it was. Too kind, really. Just like Cristina. I knew it would get them both killed, eventually. Kindness was not something that lasted long. "You're very sweet."

"Mommy says so too!" Katarina laughed. She then gasped, and darted to the side. "Vase, vase, vase~" She found a little mug and used the leftover tea from a teapot to use as water, of all things. The silly girl. "Tada~!" She giggled, spinning to face us. "Mommy!"

"Yes, sweetling?" Cristina murmured. She was focused entirely on my hair. "It looks wonderful."

"I know!" Haha! "But Mommy, Mommy!"

"Yes, sweetling?"

"I _looooves_ you~!"

"I loves you more, sweetling." Cristina's voice wobbled with her laughter. "Now come here, and talk to Mandy about your day, will you?"

"Okay!" It touched me that Cristina would bring me in so easily, and that Katarina would just… accept it without even questioning. "So, Marcus is a big stupid silly, yes?" Oh, this was just… going to be hilarious. I could already tell.

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. I tend to sing nursery rhymes when going for a killing or just to focus my mind. Bad injuries to my back have rendered my right arm crippled, but Yodel is healing it carefully to try and maximize how much use I'll have. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia. He is INCREDIBLY INFURIATING… and stupidly kind. He's terribly forgiving, and… a surprisingly gentle kisser. Wields axes. Was badly injured by Albert, and is on forced bedrest in Hanover. Nicky refuses to let us talk about serious things until he's better. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary. Hails from the Lorca tribe, but doesn't say why he's not there now. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies. Has a gorgeous horse and apparently a high tolerance for alcohol. He is seriously good with kids. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Maria, Ilian Knight. Fighting with us to atone for what she did. Knows hand to hand combat. Fretter, but good at flying. Wields lances. Seems to adore kids. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· ** _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Despite the danger, she is determined to help.. Frets over Hassar, and I think she might be falling for him. I think she is going to camp out in the gardens, she is so entranced by them. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· ** _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae.. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He and Uther have apparently been friends since he was a child. Recovered well from his injuries. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Marcus, knight of Pherae. Or is it butler? All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. He is also the oldest of us. He is cautious and wary by nature, a trait that makes him very valuable. He got yelled at by a three year old. A cavalier who specializes in lances. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

· ** _Eagler, knight of Caelin. While it is clear who is the knight and who is the noble, some of my observations make me think he and Madelyn share an almost sibling-like relation. If there was any doubt that he would fight to the death to protect Madelyn, the fact that he charged through Nicky's guards to reach him for help dispels that notion. A paladin with equal skill in swords and lances, though he is still obviously learning axes. Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

* * *

Author's Note: So, a nice, restful nice after the previous few. Since this is 16 years prior to the start of FE7, Katri is 3 years old, and does not yet go by her favored nickname of 'Katri'. It's two years after this story that her relationship with her mother deteriorates as shown in Tactician's Testimony, but she picked up one of her favored endearments 'sweetling' from her. I'm also fairly certain that I'm making Niime (Canas's mother, a char from FE6) and Yodel ten years younger than their 'canon' ages, so oops? The mention of Yodel having a sister, who died, comes from Niime and Yodel's support in FE6, their B iirc.

Next Chapter – Single Choices


	11. Chapter 11) Single Choices

Chapter 11) Single Choices

* * *

 _Lord Nicholas was a charismatic man, and on the surface, a complete womanizer, who flirted as easily as breathing. He was brilliant, but many contemporaries wrote of how he was 'almost perfect, save for his enthusiastic love for women'._

 _The thing is, everyone focused on the surface, that they paid no attention to what he actually whispered in their ears, the letters they passed him. He had an army of spies, all dressed up as 'suitors' he was flirting with._

 _It really wasn't long at all before he had blackmail on every house in Etruria, new and old._

* * *

Nicky refused to even let us _think_ of serious things until Yodel pronounced us recovered, citing that stressing will only lead us to crippling injuries and potential death. So, for a few brief days, we settled into a startling comfortable lifestyle. Madelyn read the books in the library in between practicing swordsmanship with Hassar and Eagler. Maria took the kids flying up high, to their infinite delight, and got tips from Charles on fighting with a lance. Hassar would practice his archery and go riding with Nicky in the early morning. Elbert and I were tasked with ensuring Uther _behaved_ , a full-time job that made us both laugh and Uther complain.

"Aunt Mandy!" And, of course, all of us were being spoiled silly by the kids. "Aunt Mandy, wake up! It's lunch!" I heard a bright cheerful laugh as I groaned and reluctantly woke up. I felt a brief moment of panic at the face peering into mine before I recognized the face as Mark's. "You've slept the _whole_ morning away!" he complained, throwing himself back as I sat up with a little yawn. Cristina had insisted on us having the softest sheets and blankets, and I was getting some of the best sleep of my entire life here. Which meant I often slept ludicrous hours. "I wanna play!"

"We will play later," I reassured. He grinned and climbed onto the bed to give me a hug. "I'm surprised you are not with Mary at the moment." I took to using 'Mary' when speaking about Nicky's second oldest, just to try and cut down on some confusion! "Where is she?" It seemed like most of the time, they were getting into pranks together.

"Mary got in trouble for dropping a bucket of water on Maira's head." …That was absolutely hilarious. "I'm going to go break her out of timeout!" And he was off. Oh dear.

Well, since I was awake, I decided to get dressed and go for a walk. I wandered down the hall, heading to the balcony that looked over the beautiful gardens. It was a habit I had gotten into, just to impress the memory in my head further. I never wanted to forget any of this again.

As I did, I did some of the exercises Yodel had recommended. He had done the best he could, but the damage to my back had been great. I would forever have the feeling on pins and needles in my right ring and pinky fingers. According to him, though, I really should have lost the arm, if not be _dead_.

Shaking my head, I made it to the balcony, and could only smile. Uther was there, sitting in a chair, singing a lullaby to baby Anastasia. How… adorable.

"Would not have pegged you for being good at singing," I noted, leaning against the doorway. He looked up and smiled. "She asleep?"

"Asleep, and holding my finger hostage," Uther replied, laughing quietly. I tiptoed closer and peered down at her. She really was absolutely adorable. Really, all of Nicky and Cristina's kids were the cutest. I wondered if that would continue, growing up. "I see you are awake now, though, sleeping beauty."

"My bed is _cozy_." I shrugged, reaching down to poke Anastasia's cheek. So squishy… "Besides, you sleep a lot when you get healed. Your body adapting and all."

"True…" His eyes grew worried as his gaze fell to my right hand. I had told him yesterday about Yodel's verdict. "You sure you're okay?"

"There used to be little… oh, I do not know what they are called." I smiled at him. "Little legends or rumors just attached to Houses. House Hanover has always had two. Our tempers are fierce, and the only way you can kill one of us is by decapitation." I shrugged. "Exaggeration, of course, but there does seem to be something to what my house can survive. My own father was trampled by horses, and still lived long enough to get his fellows to safety."

"Where did those come from?"

"I am not really certain about the temper one, but according to the stories, the survivability came from the Lady Hildegarde herself. They say she was in countless scenarios and suffered many injuries that should have killed her, but instead, she survived."

"Huh, I guess there is something to the story, then." His smile was soft, and a touch hesitant. "Thrown out of a life like this, only to survive five years on the streets?" That… was true. Maybe there was something to the story after all. "Do you want to stay?" Hmm? "You're home, now, and you can't tell me Nicholas wouldn't be more than willing."

"I want to find out who killed the whores and kids." I looked him right in the eye. "Besides, you and I made a bargain. I do not go back on contracts, Uther. It is bad for business."

"I suppose." He laughed softly, smile warming. "I'm glad you're staying." …Now how was I supposed to take that?! "Hey, Amanda?"

"Yes?"

"When this is over…" Hmm? "Well…"

"There you two are!" Katarina hopped onto the balcony, smiling brightly up at us. "Papa says he wanted to see you two in his study," she informed us. Uther and I exchanged a look. Time to be serious, then. Though, I was really curious what he was going to say. It had sounded almost like… oh, but there was no way. It was probably something like 'when this is over, will you work for Ostia' or something? I… actually might not mind that, if I worked for him. Maybe as a spy or something. "I'll take Ana."

"Are you sure?" Uther asked. He hesitated at passing Anastasia over, even as Katarina held out her hands. "Do you know how to hold a baby?"

"Support the head!" She laughed and Uther reluctantly handed Anastasia over. "I'm a good big sis." She held her baby sister gently, keeping her tucked against her chest, Anastasia's head resting on her shoulder. "I read lots of stuff!" Oh, how adora… she _read_? She could _read_? She was three! You were supposed to be five or six when that happened! …Though, I think Nicky also started reading at an abnormally young… oh, great, Katarina inherited his scary intelligence. That meant she was going to think too fast and do stupid shit. "Do you need help going to the study?"

"No, I know where it is." Uther smiled warmly at her. "Thank you for giving us the message."

"You're welcome!" Katarina giggled and walked away, swaying a little under Anastasia's weight.

As she walked away, I wondered if she might… Etruria was not kind to prodigies. I knew it because of Nicky. Etruria would _not_ be kind to her, if it ever learned she was just as smart as Nicky. No, Etruria would use her, and hunt her down to the ends of the world if she tried to escape. And I was so very afraid they would _kill_ her to make sure her talent would never reach foreign hands.

* * *

The tense air in the study told me Nicky had been all caught up on everything. He did not look too happy about it.

"I knew I should have split his _skull_ and not his _face_ back then," Nicky growled. Anger rippled off him as he paced. "I knew I should have. It would have caused a lot less trouble, especially _now_."

"Well, dealing with what-ifs isn't going to help the present situation," Yodel pointed out. Nicky's only reply was to sigh. "But we did call a meeting to share information." I glanced around the room, curious as to who was here. For some reason, only some of the group was here: Elbert, Madelyn, and Hassar. Where were the others?

"Yes, and now I need to make this a 'sharing', not a report." Nicky still sounded aggravated. "Should we wait? I know I asked Sir Marcus, Sir Eagler, and Dame Maria to join us."

"Maria thought she saw something off on the horizon, so she's checking it out with Marcus and Eagler," Elbert explained. Something off, huh? I bet it was an attack. "I believe Charles also went?"

"Ah, yes, he did mention going on a patrol," Nicky murmured. He leaned against his desk, sliding a chair towards Uther. "I'm sure Mandy prefers standing because of how scandalous it would be if she sat." Both Uther and I just _laughed_ , even as the others looked confused. "Etrurian etiquette thing. Mandy used to be a stickler for it." I really was. To be fair- "To be fair, Cristina still is." Exactly! "Well, then, since it's just us…"

"You made a mention of trouble," Hassar prompted. He was sitting on some cushions in the corner, Madelyn staying next to him. "What is it?"

"Well, there's conveniently trouble in three of the five Great House's." …All at once? "Horrible trouble, forcing them to go back to their lands to deal with the matter."

"And that is unusual."

"The timing is _convenient_ , considering that this is the time of year that _I_ am away checking on the trade paths, and Urien, the Count of Reglay, is away ensuring that the exams for the magical academies in his lands are running smoothly." Oh, that was right. Those did happen simultaneously. Wait, but that meant… "Meaning that for the first time since the _founding_ of Eturia, there are no representatives of the Five Great Houses in the capital."

"And this is bad."

"It's bad because of _another_ convenient thing." That was…? "King Gawain died last year." …What?! "After a lengthy illness." After a… oh, you have _got_ to be kidding me! "An illness his heir also appears to suffer." Ugh… "So, now the throne is in the hands of a conveniently ill fourteen year old, whose is conveniently separated from anyone of the Five Great Houses, leaving a fifteen year old knight in training as his only trustworthy guard in a pit of vipers, and the only healers allowed near are conveniently those Albert chooses."

"Not only that, but those bishops are ones I know take bribes," Yodel added. He sighed, shaking his head. "Really, things have been a bit of a mess under the surface, and have been ever since Princess Hellene's wedding to King Desmond of Bern." Oh, that's… wait, hold on.

"I thought Hellene was marrying Prince Victor of Bern?" I pointed out. What did I miss? What happened? "Wasn't Desmond the younger son?"

"He was, until consumption decided to wash through the capital last year. Desmond's the only one of the royal family left thanks to it." Oh, poor Hellene. She had been looking forward to marrying Victor. "Since there was mention of 'Bernese branch', I'm wondering if it was a coincidence on the timing. Albert did travel with the wedding party, after all." Ugh…

"Lord Nicky!" Frowning, I turned towards the door and noticed a woman with short hair and light armor swing into the room, Katarina and Anastasia toddling behind her. It took me a couple of blinks to recognize Maira. I still was just _not_ used to how she looked now! "We've got company," she informed us. Nicky looked more intrigued than upset, even as the rest of us groaned. "Charles has Lady Cristina, Lord Mark, and Lady Maria. Dame Maria, Sir Marcus, and Sir Eagler are distracting them, but we are a little undermanned."

"Go assist them, Maira," Nicky replied. He moved to hug Katarina and Anastasia, ruffling their hair before returning to the desk. "Ensure that Charles has the three of them secured." Maira nodded and ran off. "Now then…"

"If there is a map, then Elbert and I can come up with a strategy," Uther instantly volunteered. He looked startled, though, when Nicky easily pulled one out from a drawer. "You just… have that on hand?" He stood up, and I glanced over at Katarina and Anastasia, worried. But Katarina had instantly gone to Hassar's side, watching us closely while still staying out of the way. She was far too calm for this. She really was. "Not that I'm not grateful, but…"

"I recently did renovations to the place, meaning I spent a lot of time staring at the thing to determine the most efficient way to go about it," Nicky explained. He looked confused by the confused looks. "What? It's just faster if I do it myself."

"There are workers."

"It's _faster_ if I do it myself. I've a good head for numbers."

"305 squared."

"93025." Nicky gave Uther a droll look. "Squaring numbers are easy, especially 'fives'. See, you subtract or add until you reach a zero and-"

"I can already tell you that I am not going to understand a single word of it." Uther leaned over the map, eyes narrowed. I bit back a laugh at how comically offended Nicky looked. "Is there a convenient secret passage around here? I know most places have them, but…"

"You can use the crypts!" All eyes turned to Katarina as she handed Anastasia to Hassar. Hassar took her easily, and when she started to squirm, calmed her down fast. Yeah, he was _really_ good with kids. Did he have a little sibling? He never talked about his family. "The crypts go _all_ over the estate." She toddled over, barely able to peer at the map on her tiptoes. "I use them to win hide and seek all the time." She looked so fascinated. "What is this, though? What are you doing?"

"It's called tactics, strategy. It's making plans for the soldiers, to try and minimize damages."

"Cool!" She tugged Nicky's pant leg. "Papa, I wanna do that!" Huh? "I wanna do tactics! It looks fun and I can help people!" Uh…

"We'll talk about it when you're older," Nicky replied. Standard parental answer right there. "Now then, Uther. Let's figure out something, yes? As I mentioned, I just had this place remodeled, and I would like minimal blood on the rugs."

"Should you really be saying such things around a child?" Madelyn asked worriedly. She glanced down at Katarina. "I mean… actually, she's rather calm. Most would be asking what was going on."

"But I know what's going on?" Katarina replied. She looked adorably confused. "Bad people are here to hurt us." …Uh… "But you guys are going to stop them with this statergy thing." Well, yes, but… um… she was only three, right? Were three year olds supposed to figure things like this out?

"Nicky, why does she have to take after you?" I groaned, facepalming. I just knew the others were confused. "Seriously, why?"

"I have no idea, but so long as she is happy, I really don't care," Nicky replied easily. He shrugged off my dirty look. "Now. It's time for statergy." …Damn it, Nicky, that was almost dorky enough to make me laugh.

* * *

Thanks to Katarina pointing out the crypts, Uther got a strategy that swiftly corralled the attackers into the courtyard, where we could fight them easily. But our enemies were eerie. For one big reason: they all looked alike. They all had skin the color of porcelain-white, eyes of gold, hair of raven-black, and blood-red lips. Who were they? Were they all related or something? Some big clan of assassins coming to try and kill us?

"I think Uther would rather be out here fighting," Madelyn noted at some point. Probably because we were the only two unmounted fighters of the group, we ended up fighting side-by-side. "He looked so put-out at staying behind to guard Katarina and Anastasia."

"Well, someone has to," I pointed out. I cut down an approaching fighter, kicking them into the thorny shrubs for good measure. "And while he is cleared to walk, Yodel never cleared him for fighting."

"I know, but he is going to be stuck trying to explain things to Katarina."

"He can handle himself. I mean; the worst that can happen is that she drives him into madness by constantly asking 'why'."

"Amanda, you're horrible!" But she was laughing. "Oh, goodness, I think I needed that." I noticed she relaxed and smiled. She was far too tense, but that was to be expected. This was her… second battle? Third? "Hey, Amanda."

"Yes?"

"Have you noticed?" Hmm? "They're not leaving bodies." …She was right. There was not one body in this courtyard, despite all the fighting. There was plenty of blood. You could practically take a bath in it. But there were no bodies. There was only dust in the wind. "That's…"

"Focus on making sure they do not hurt the adorable children you half-plan to kidnap for now." I flipped a knife in my hand, mostly to reassure myself that I still had full movement in my right hand, even if I could not really… my grip felt wrong now, thanks to the pins and needles. I had to retrain my brain to realize it was 'right'. "That is what I plan to do."

"Yes…" She took a deep breath and settled into a stance. "Here they come!" Here they came indeed, and when I jumped to meet them, one of my favorite nursery rhymes bubbled to my lips.

 _"The farmer in the dell, the farmer in the dell, Hi-ho the derry-o, the farmer in the dell."_

Madelyn went to Hassar's side, striking down a mage who was trying to attack his flank. She caught a burn across her neck for the trouble, and stumbled back, eyes watering from the pain. It made her miss her next strike, but Hassar's arrow caught that enemy between the eyes before Madelyn's miss could cost her.

 _"The farmer takes a wife, the farmer takes a wife, Hi-ho the derry-o, the farmer takes a wife."_

Nicky and Elbert rode side by side. Nicky struck down the lance users, eyes practically flashing as he found the weaknesses in their guard and swiftly skewered them, twisting to throw the bodies at other enemies to throw them off guard. It made it even easier for Elbert to take out the axe users, with swift decapitations. They split the sword users. Literally and figuratively.

 _"The wife takes the child, the wife takes the child, Hi-ho the derry-o, the wife takes the child."_

Maria handled most of the mages. A pegasus's ability to resist magic was among its most valuable traits, and Maria was _just_ fast enough to avoid any counter attacks. As a result, every time she swooped down, something got really bloody. Every other time, something got really dead.

 _"The child takes the nurse, the child takes the nurse, Hi-ho the derry-o, the child takes the nurse."_

Charles and Maira were guarding the doors. Maira just freaking blasted them with Elfire's, not even flinching as they tried to reach for her through the flames. Charles took down any that she missed, darting out with a quick lunge and retreating to not leave the doors for more than a single second. I saw them both glance inside often, and knew they were worried. But it would be fine. Uther could guard them. I knew he could. Besides, if anything happened, Yodel was right there to cure it.

 _"The nurse takes the cow, the nurse takes the cow, Hi-ho the derry-o, the nurse takes the cow."_

I danced through the field, sliding on the blood as I ducked and weaved. I sliced throats, severed spines. I eviscerated those who got too close, and punctured their hearts and lungs. It took many strikes, except for those where I managed a hit to a critical location quickly, but by dodging, I did avoid the worst of injuries.

 _"The cow takes the dog, the cow takes the dog, Hi-ho the derry-o, the cow takes the dog."_

Eagler and Marcus circled around, having done another round of ensuring none of the attackers found a hidden way in. Doors were secured and locked, and they trampled those who tried. I noticed Marcus watching Eagler closely as they killed the enemy, and knew he was trying to learn from him. He should just ask directly. But, I had to admit Marcus was a fast learner. It wasn't long at all before he was mimicking Eagler's lance tricks almost perfectly.

 _"The dog takes the cat, the dog takes the cat, Hi-ho the derry-o, the dog takes the cat."_

And then, suddenly, the battle was over. No more attackers, no more in the distance. Just… nothing. There was absolute nothingness. The only signs that they had been here at all were the injuries we had sustained, and the blood streaming and pooling in the courtyard. And maybe the dust in the air. What was this? What _were_ those things? Why did they attack us?

What was going on?

"I know I joked about not wanting blood on the rugs, but this is a little absurd," Nicky murmured, breaking the silence. He twirled the blood off his lance, and shook his head. "That settles it. This is going to just bug me. I'm coming with you all." What. "Yodel, you will as well, won't you?" Hold on a moment!

"Are you sure?" Elbert asked, looking a little startled. As he walked over, I noticed he was limping. Leg injury, then. "Your youngest…"

"As if you did not leave your own son to do what's right." That… was true, but Nicky, you could have said that nicer. "Besides, Charles and Maira can keep everyone safe without me." I glanced around and noticed Maria and Hassar poking at the dust. Madelyn was leaning against a wall, trying not to fall down. Eagler and Marcus left with Charles and Maira, likely to patrol. "And if you want the freedom to move in Etruria, I'm your best bet." That… was true. "Besides, you all helped defend my home, which means I owe you, and I _hate_ being indebted." That… some things never did change. "So, no protesting; I wish to help." And he was going to whether we liked it or not!

Ah well. I liked being able to travel with Nicky again.

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. I tend to sing nursery rhymes when going for a kill or just to focus my mind. Bad injuries to my back resulted in permanent nerve damage or something, giving me a pins and needles feeling in two fingers of my right hand. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia. He is INCREDIBLY INFURIATING… and stupidly kind. He's terribly forgiving, and… a surprisingly gentle kisser. Wields axes. Was badly injured by Albert, and is on forced bedrest in Hanover. He's very good with children, and was… about to ask me something… that is probably nothing, but it just keeps bothering me for some reason. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary. Hails from the Lorca tribe, but doesn't say why he's not there now. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies. Has a gorgeous horse and apparently a high tolerance for alcohol. He is seriously good with kids. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· _Maria, Ilian Knight. Fighting with us to atone for what she did. Knows hand to hand combat. Fretter, but good at flying. Wields lances. Seems to adore kids. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Frets over Hassar, and I think she might be falling for him. I think she is going to camp out in the gardens, she is so entranced by them. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae.. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He and Uther have apparently been friends since he was a child. Recovered well from his injuries. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· _Marcus, knight of Pherae. Or is it butler? All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. He is no longer the oldest of us. He is cautious and wary by nature, a trait that makes him very valuable. He got yelled at by a three year old. A cavalier who specializes in lances. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

· _Eagler, knight of Caelin. While it is clear who is the knight and who is the noble, some of my observations make me think he and Madelyn share an almost sibling-like relation. If there was any doubt that he would fight to the death to protect Madelyn, the fact that he charged through Nicky's guards to reach him for help dispels that notion. A paladin with equal skill in swords and lances, though he is still obviously learning axes. Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

· ** _Nicky, Count Hanover. My dear cousin, who I grew up with. Was a 'young knight', meaning he was a prodigy in fighting, so much so that Etruria all but forced him to skip some years of training, becoming a full-fledged knight at only fourteen. It's a stupid practice, but unfortunately common with prodigies. He's been cynical and bitter ever since, rolling his eyes at patriotism and focused solely on the happiness of his loved ones. His skill in fighting comes not from strength, but from keen sight and intelligence, able to predict where an opponent will move. Having a powerful horse helps, of course, and Nicky personally trains all of the ones Hanover keeps. Specializes in lances, like many Etrurian knights, and also trained in swords. Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

· ** _Yodel, acolyte. A childhood friend who wanted to be a mercenary growing up. After the death of his sister, though, he's become determined to revolutionize the church to provide safe havens, one step at a time. He retains his no-nonsense demeanor though, even as a healer, and despite having no weapons training, I'm certain he still remembers how to 'fight dirty'. I'm filling to bet he could knock someone out with his staff. Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

* * *

Author's Note: And back to the plot, with the group _finally_ getting a damn healer (if this were actually a game, I think players would be frustrated by now, haha!). The nursery rhyme is the 'farmer in the dell', specifically a version common to the US (the lyrics differ depending on region), though I did cut it short. It's rather fun using nursery rhymes to overlay a battle.

Next Chapter - Aquelia


	12. Chapter 12) Aquelia

Chapter 12) Aquelia

* * *

 _With that blackmail in hand, Lord Nicholas watching the court. Potential threats were dealt with in a quiet, quiet way, with warnings. Those who did not heed those warnings were dealt with. Bribes were paid, people ruined._

 _It was all quiet, and all under the guise of a womanizer. That is, until Lord Nicholas met the lady Elizabeth, who was more than his equal, and the only one who saw through his act._

 _His flirtations stopped after their wedding, but that was fine. He already had all the weapons he could have ever needed._

* * *

The world itself might change a lot in five years, but Aquelia? Aquelia never changed. For one thing, it was as busy as always. The smell of cinnamon and meat drifting over the sounds of sermons, singing, the crowing of sellers trying to get people to buy their wares… yes, it never changed.

It also never stopped being a place where conmen tried to strike.

"Madelyn, come on," I hissed, snagging her by the arm and dragging her away. "That stuff is bogus."

"But wouldn't it be neat if it were true?" she retorted, eyes still sparkling. "Something that improves your ability to resist damage…"

"Where would they have even _gotten_ a dragon anything in this day and age?" You heard the old wives' stories, but that was all they were. Stories. "Besides, what is it supposed to do? Skin breaks at the same point every time."

"True…" She sighed heavily. "I was just thinking of how hurt you and I can get. If not for everyone, I know I would have lost something by now."

"Eh, you are better than you think you are." Really, it was a bit surprising. I think she had a bit of talent for swordwork. Or maybe dancing, and it transferred over. "You think you are going to go back to being a proper lady after this?"

"Oh, I hope so. I dislike all this fighting. I simply dislike not being able to defend my home even more so." She leaned into me. "I will be glad to leave the fighting to the soldiers."

"You can stay here. You would be perfectly safe in Hanover."

"I wish to defend my home, and I will learn the strength to do so. But afterwards, I will not take up a sword again unless I must protect my home again." She made a face. "Though, seriously, I think I will die if someone is helping me. Oh, well."

"That… is not really something to say 'oh well' to."

"I would rather die protecting something than running away." …Ugh, why did I have a feeling she would get herself killed protecting some kids or something? She would. "Is that the estate?"

"Yeah." We walked past the gates easily, the guards letting us in with a token look. I felt a little uneasy at that until I noticed the other guards hiding. Ah, there they were. I should have known Hanoverian guards were subtle in their competence.

We opened the door, letting the servants take our cloaks. They gave me warm smiles, and I smiled back before heading for the study where we were all supposed to be meeting.

"Welcome home, my dear~" Uther _immediately_ teased as we entered. He looked loads better than he had earlier. "So, an 'official' visit didn't pan out well." He, Nicky, and Elbert all exchanged looks. "Marcus and Eagler are trying to see if they can find out information from the knights here, while Maria is checking with the Ilian liaison for information."

"And where is Hassar?" Madelyn asked, taking one of the few chairs. I remained standing, leaning against the wall. "How are his injuries…?"

"Yodel is taking a second look at them," Nicky answered. His fists shook at his side, and I knew he was still _livid_ over what happened earlier. "I really wish you all had let me take that soldier to task."

"He thought he was protecting me." Yeah, we had her and Hassar go out earlier, and Hassar had been attacked as a 'kidnapper'. "He looked rightfully sorry…"

"He only looked sorry because _I_ was screaming at him." And because Nicky was damn terrifying. "He wouldn't have cared otherwise. He was more sorry he caught my wrath than attacking an innocent person."

"But…" Madelyn sighed, drooping. "Really, I shouldn't have even suggested he come out with me, though. He had looked reluctant, but I insisted…" And Hassar had gone, because _she_ asked. I really was curious as to what was blossoming between them, because I was certain there was something going on.

"You can go apologize to Hassar when we're done here, Mads," Uther pointed out. "Ask if he needs help with something or just offer to keep him company." He had a small smirk there, and I knew he had also noticed something. Unlike me, he seemed amused by it. Me? …I knew very well what could happen when a noblewoman did not act 'properly'. I feared Madelyn getting disowned and thrown out like I did. "Though, not sure what to do besides gathering more information. Amanda, did you hear anything?"

"From what I got from the street kids, there _was_ a rash of sudden disappearances with whores and kids here," I answered, crossing my arms. I was fairly confident in this information. Kids were honest, especially when you gave them a lot of money for the information. "But they suddenly stopped, around the same time the ones in Ostia started."

"Before he got sick, King Gawain was working on some reforms to improve conditions here for those forced out on the streets," Nicky explained. He took a deep breath, slowly calming down. Which was a damn good thing. Nicky's temper was _easily_ worse than mine. Though, I was glad to see that five years had led to him calming down. It used to be hair-triggered. "Mordred was planning on picking that up again. Meaning any sudden disappearances would have been noticed, and Mordred is young enough to make a fuss."

"So, this group went to Lycia to get more victims while they waited for him to get sick and die." This was so poison. "That is about all I got. We might need to contact Urien for information about whatever the _hell_ those creepy gold-eyed things were."

"Actually, I know someone else who might know, and more importantly, they are a little closer than Urien is." Given the date, though, Urien was probably due back soon. "Amanda, why don't you come with me to go see him? Uther and Elbert can run through the market."

"Yes, that sounds like a good plan," Elbert agreed. He was smiling slightly. "We can meet up with Marcus, Eagler, and Maria while we're out and consolidate information." That would speed things up nicely. "Madelyn, you stay here with Yodel and Hassar."

"Fine by me," Madelyn replied with a shrug and a smile. "I'll go see if either need help. I can make bandages or something if needed. I'm pretty good at weaving." Actually, if she was good at sewing, she would probably be good at stitching up injuries too. "Until later, everyone!"

* * *

There was only one location in the whole city that was not sparkling and lively. The area by the Tower of the Saint was in ruins. Charred and broken ruins, gutted long ago. They were a silent memorial to the first victims of the Scouring. According to the stories, it was a devastating attack on Aquelia, unprovoked and unexpected, that led to humans declaring war. The legends say that Saint Elimine, the Lady Hildegard, the Lord Martin, the Lady Alice, the Lord Mika, the Lady Maron, and the Lady Sheryl were the only survivors of the attack.

The Tower of the Saint itself was intact, though one piece of it was noticeably newer than the rest. I had always been taught it was a deliberate design choice. Something about how it resembled a scar, and highlighted the pain those survivors went through.

"Your friend lives here?" I asked in the silence as we skirted the edges of the Tower, going to something behind it.. It felt wrong being here. Like we were trespassing. "How did you even meet him? Some stupid dare again?"

"No," Nicky replied. His voice was very soft, and I noticed he was careful to avoid walking on certain places. It took me a second to realize the black stains were in the shape of bodies. Small bodies. Right, if a whole city had been destroyed, then even babies would have been… "After the… knight initiation, I came out here to scream. It had been raining, so I thought it would be better." Nicky… "While I was sobbing and thinking some… very bad thoughts, a traveler held their cloak over me and got me into some shelter. He listened to me as I rambled on and on and just… helped me fit myself together _enough_ that I could keep going."

"You never mentioned this person."

"For a long while, I thought I had hallucinated them." He glanced back at me with a wry smile. "But then, after Grandfather threw you out, I came back here to scream, and to talk myself out of assassination."

"You would have hated yourself forever."

"That's really not a new feeling. I've just long since learned that even if I hated myself, there are others who love me, for some reason." Nicky… "Anyway, while I was out here, that traveler appeared again, and listened. I made a point of coming to visit every week while we lived here, just to say 'hi' or to ramble. But he's _incredibly_ intelligent. I think he's a traveling scholar or something."

"Like Nimue?"

"Even smarter." That… was saying something. "That's why I think the best chance we have of finding out what those things were is _here_ , not in any sort of magical library." Oh. "Here we are." This… well, this building was mostly intact. Still in pieces, but there was at least some semblance of a roof. "This used to be a temple. A Temple to Fire Spirits or something. The Dragon Knights of Aquelia were stationed here."

"Dragon Knights?"

"Knights who protected dragons from humans and humans from dragons. The organization fell apart during the Scouring, for obvious reasons." He flashed me a grin as we walked inside. The place was… surprisingly not very dusty. "It's pretty cool. I want to be one."

"You would." I could not help but smile back. "Is there a reason you have your friend stay here?"

"He doesn't want people to know about him. I almost brought my kids here to see him, but he requested I didn't." His smile turned a little pained. "I think he was a father, and that he outlived his child. He just has that air about him." I thought of Grandfather, and the look of devastation he had on his face when my father and Nicky's were buried. I could believe that. "But this is a bit of an emergency, so I don't think he'll mind my bringing you."

"But this is why you did not, say, bring Uther with you."

"Exactly." We stepped into a large room, huge and open. Shattered windows, broken pillars… but there was still a _grandness_ to the place. This must have been the receiving room, the room of prayer, or something when this had been functioning. "Wuotan? You around?"

"Ah, Nicholas…" A shadow moved in the corner and from them, a man stepped out. He was rather young looking, I noticed. Thirties, I would guess, though there was something old about his eyes. Pretty, though. They were a very, very pretty blue. "I thought you were in the south, in your estates," he murmured, smiling gently. He moved slowly, and I saw some _nasty_ looking scars peek out from the collar of his shirt. He had been in a vicious fight a while ago. "And you… brought someone?"

"I know you wanted to keep our meetings between just us, but things are… interesting," Nicky explained. The man did not seem angry, thankfully. Merely curious. "This is Amanda, my cousin. I talked to you about her before."

"Ah, yes, you did." The man's smile warmed. He reminded me a bit of… oh, I did not know… like the sun, really. Like the fire keeping watch while camping. His hair helped the feeling, being a pretty fire-orange. "It's nice to finally meet you, Amanda. I am Wuotan, a traveler."

"It is nice to meet you too," I murmured. He really did just seem… tired, worn, but still walking anyway, for reasons only he could explain. I could see why Nicky thought he might be a father who outlived his children. He honestly had the same air as Grandfather, not that Nicky would ever admit it. I wondered if he took to Wuotan _because_ of that. "Forgive me, but is it all right if we just skip to business?"

"Certainly." Wuotan sat on the steps to some altar, and Nicky easily sat next to him. I hesitated before sitting a step or two below. "So, what is it?" he asked. His eyes sharpened slightly, becoming serious, attentive. "I notice some recently healed injuries." …How did he notice that?

"Yeah, there was a fight at my estate," Nicky sighed. Wuotan instantly looked alarmed, but Nicky smiled. "Everyone's fine. Some injuries, but no deaths." Wuotan looked so relieved at that. "But there was something strange about the attackers."

"That was?"

"They just… disintegrated after being killed."

"Turned to dust?" Wuotan tapped his fingers on the stone, the clack making me look. He had longer nails than I would expect on a man, and they made me think of claws. "Did they have gold eyes?"

"Yes, actually. Pale skin, red lips, black hair, and gold eyes. All of them."

"Morphs, then." There was a name? "Dolls crafted from quintessence, life force." Did he just say…? "Tell me. Have there been a long string of sudden murders recently?"

"Yes, there have been," I blurted. My hands were shaking. This was… "That… that is how we even got involved. Uther and I were looking into some, and then…"

"That is why they were killed, then," Wuotan answered. He rested a gentle hand on my hands, holding them until my shaking eased. "There are other ways to retrieve quintessence, but the most efficient manner is to kill a person and steal it from them as their life fades away. Long slow deaths are best for it, as you can be certain to extract every bit." That was… "Drowning works well, actually." I thought of the whore and those two kids who had been thrown into the river. "But really, any sort of death suffices. Death from old age, though, rarely does well, as most of the quintessence is gone."

"But the young have more potential."

"Yes." His smile was sad, bitter. "The magic is originally draconic. A user of elder magic can mimic it, I am certain. Little is beyond the reach of elder magic, if you are willing to pay the price for it. But whoever it is must be someone with extensive knowledge in draconic magic as well."

"Do you know of someone who can?"

"…I did. Once. But if he is still alive, then he is not the man I knew any longer." His words were firm, if bitter. "My dearest friend's husband. I have never been able to confirm his demise. So, I suppose it could be him. Perhaps he creates morphs to bring back his dead wife."

"You can do that?"

"You can create a doll that looks like a person. But to bring someone back to life requires far more than simple quintessence." He shook his head. "Most of those who try bring back simply walking corpses, unable to say or do anything, and then they go mad, convincing themselves they succeeded while the body rots under their fingertips."

"But why so many?" Nicky asked. I saw the fear in his eyes. "With so many dead… there could be an army."

"How much quintessence a person has varies, and even if you harvest all they have, much of it is unusable," Wuotan explained. His eyes closed, and it was easy to tell he was thinking quite deeply. "You can replace quantity for quality, though." So, not _that_ many, just enough to throw many at us. "That said, depending on how long this has been going on…" I did _not_ need that thought in my head.

"What can we do?"

"I am not certain. But if you kill many, then you can at least disrupt the plans, and make whoever is behind this start again. Delay." And maybe have enough resources and luck _then_.

"And how much danger are we in?" …Wait, that was right. If they got us…!

"I cannot speak of your companions, but you two will be fine. The blood might be diluted, but the quintessence you inherited is still powerful and gives you protection." …Huh? "Quintessence as bright as the sun, as bright as hope, and burns just as much. No morph will be able to steal it from you. It will burn their hands, blind their eyes, even as you lie on death's door. This leader might, but if he reveals himself, he risks being destroyed."

"Blood?" Nicky looked a little confused. "You've made mentions of that to me before. Something about blood and inheritance."

"…You had powerful ancestors, and while the blood you have is diluted, the quintessence you inherited still burns strong." It was obvious he was talking around something, but the look in his eyes said that it would be a secret he took to his grave. "Two powerful ones, but while one gives House Hanover quintessence like the sun, the other gives a certain… well, some would call it a gift, and others a curse. The ability to never be predicted, to even transform unchangeable moments of the future, to create what some would call miracles." Nicky flinched, and I remembered. Many called his surviving his knight initiation a 'miracle'. "That is something inherited, something you inherited from the same person you inherited your eyes from."

"…That's a lot of vague nonsense." Nicky scowled. "I hate vague nonsense."

"Haha, forgive me." Wuotan's smile was warm. "But there are promises even I still keep, and anything but vague nonsense will require my breaking them."

"Oh, no, I figured that. I'm just a bit annoyed anyway." He sighed, shaking his head. "Regardless, though, we're fine."

"Yes. Your companions might not be, though." That was a sobering thought. "It is good you came today, though, Nicholas. I was just about to leave."

"Oh, for where?" Nicky's smile was sad, but resigned. I imagine these two had talked about this. "You never told me."

"I am going to visit my little knight." …I bet that meant his child's grave. "From there, I think I will travel to the Western Isles. It has been quite some time."

"Be careful. There's a campaign to conquer it right now."

"That is why I wish to go. I want to see if there is any knowledge to salvage." Wuotan stood slowly. "Someone should remember. You never know when knowledge might be useful."

"…Is that why you still live here?" I asked softly. The words just slipped out, but I could not help it. "In a ruin, wandering about without a home."

"My home was destroyed in flames, and to keep what pieces I had of it safe, I had to stay away." Wuotan's smile was very, very bitter. "But yes, I keep on living, because there are some things that need to be passed on. Like the knowledge of morphs." Yes, that… that _was_ going to be helpful. "Besides, I made a promise to my daughter. There is a knowledge I have that will be needed. I wait for that day. Only then, I will go rest." His smile warmed though. "Nicholas, I am not certain if I will see you again, but do take care of yourself."

"Cristina takes care of me well enough," Nicholas replied. He smiled back warmly. "Oh, but if you see any of my children, will you at least check in on them?"

"I will check in on your grandchildren as well, if our paths cross." …He was going to keep traveling as an old man? "Be wary, though. What this leader will want, more than anything, is a war." …War would kill a lot of people, giving a lot of… oh, shit. "You must keep things quiet."

"That was the plan, but I will make sure it is emphasized. Farewell, Wuotan."

"Farewell." With that, Wuotan left, disappearing into the shadows.

"…Nicky…" I began slowly, as soon as he vanished from sight. "Nicky, how _old_ is he?"

"I have no idea," Nicky answered honestly. He stood with a stretch. "But if someone told me he was older than the Scouring, some days, I could believe it." Yes… "Let's go return to the others. We just got a _lot_ of good information, just as I hoped."

"And some vague nonsense that will probably never, ever make sense."

"Yep." We exchanged a look and just burst into laughter, unable to help it. It echoed through the room, warming the air. I wondered if this place had been filled with laughter, long before it was destroyed. "Come on."

"Right behind you."

* * *

When we rejoined the others, we quickly decided that while Nicky gave explanations, Hassar, Maria, and I would go on and infiltrate the castle. It was a rather extreme and dangerous decision, but Eagler managed to hear that Mordred was _very_ close to death from one of the worried knights, so it was decided speed was of the essence. I filled in Maria and Hassar as we wiggled our way in through some underground passages.

"Escape tunnels make very convenient entrance tunnels too," Maria noted as we walked through the waterways. It was the first thing anyone said since I finished my explanation about the morphs. "So, this is for the moat… canal… thing above our heads?"

"They say Saint Elimine purposely had these things designed so largely in case of some sort of massive attack," I explained. I ran my hands over the walls, ignoring the slimy algae and sticky moss. There was a switch somewhere around here. "What happened to her home haunted her forever."

"I can understand that. Still, the water?"

"Oh, yes, that's for that, and it helps serve the aqueduct system." That had been a later addition, though. "Hassar, you're quiet."

"That's unusual?"

"Brooding quiet."

"That's unusual?"

"Quiet, Maria." I gave her a playfully dirty look and she snickered, covering her mouth to muffle the sound. "To be serious, Hassar, are you all right? Is your injury okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Hassar replied slowly. "I was simply thinking of these morphs." Yes… "It reminds me of something the diviners in my tribe read in the stars."

"Oh?" I turned to walk backwards and face him, keeping a hand still on the wall. I hoped I was remembering this correctly. If I was, then this should get us right into the Royal Wing. "What did they see?" I asked. I did not believe in fortune telling, but considering how weird everything had been lately…

"A shadow defiling the dead, with purpose lost to the darkness. Long do they work, slowly and meticulously, and if they succeed, the world will be nothing but scorched and scoured land." …Well, _that_ was not ominous at all. "The diviners mentioned that it is a vision that is both long and not, both past and present. It is not a future that can be stopped, yet, but can be in time."

"So, what? All our group can do is buy time?"

"Perhaps." Well, I did not like that thought. "Keep things safe for the present, and let the future step out. Sometimes, all you can do is believe in the future."

"Hope and wishes are worthless."

"Then what do you lose with having them?" I… had no reply to that. "Are we almost there?" Oh!

"If I remember correctly…" My fingers found the button and I pushed it, letting the brick wall slide open. "Here we are."

We stepped through without a sound and made our way through the tunnel. We opened the door at the end, and that was where I learned I… well, I was right in that this would take us to the Royal Wing, but I had been wrong in that… uh… apparently, this took us right to the room Mordred was in?

I assumed Mordred was in here, at least, as the person who suddenly threw a lance at us looked suspiciously like an older version of the little boy I knew as Douglas. He had a good throw, too. It cut one of Maria's pigtails.

"I won't let you take him!" Douglas's eyes were fierce as he settled into a stance in front of a bed. I leaned around and saw little bits of blonde hair on the pillow. Mordred did have blonde hair, so… "I chased away the supposed healers! Don't think I won't take an assassin!" Oh, what was the little nursery rhyme he loved…? Ah, I remember now.

"Ba, ba, black sheep, have you any wool~?" I half-sang. It made him pause. "Yes, sir, yes, sir, three bags full. One for the master, and one for the dame."

"And one for the little boy who lives down the lane." He just said the words, but he was looking right at me. "Miss Amanda?"

"Hey, Douglas." I smiled warmly at him. "Think you can apologize to Maria here?" I pointed to her hair, which she tugged at in wordless shock.

"…I AM SO SORRY!" He dropped his lance, flailing. "Words cannot… I am so, so sorry, miss!" A little groan made him pause and he whirled back to the bed. "Hey, Mordred, sorry for the noise. Just get back to resting. I'm going to talk to Miss Amanda." If there was a reply, I didn't hear it. "Yeah, Miss Amanda. Don't know why she's back, but she is, and she was always so nice to us, right?"

"Well, I thought I was," I teased, creeping over to the bed. Mordred looked… like hell. "Poor baby…" Hesitantly, I ran a hand over his hair. "Hey, Hassar?"

"If his protector doesn't mind, I can take a look," Hassar answered, already coming over. Douglas looked at us with so much hope. "I can't promise anything, but I'm not going to purposely hurt him, at least."

"That's better than the healers here," Douglas muttered darkly. He squirmed as Maria crouched next to him. "I'm really sorry about your hair, miss."

"Do you have a dagger or something so I can make it even?" she asked. He passed one over without a word. "Thank you." She easily chopped off the other pigtail. "Hair grows back. Necks typically don't." She handed him the dagger back. "So, who did you think we were?"

"Those Bernese folk again." Bernese? "There's one in the kitchens, and ever since they started making Mordred's meals, he got really sick." Well, that was definitely poison. That or Mordred had more food allergies than I remembered. "Then there's the ones that just creep around. I knocked one out the window yesterday."

"Why would the Bernese want to try anything?"

"…Well, I've heard that Princess Hellene and King Desmond haven't exactly been getting along in their marriage." Douglas sighed. "It's supposed to be a sign of peace, but if it's not going well, then maybe Bern doesn't care." Could be, though…

"I have heard rumors about a group of assassins based in Bern," I murmured. I watched Hassar as he poked and prodded, wincing as his frown deepened. "The Black Fang or something." Though… "I had heard they only go after corrupt nobles. Vigilantes more than assassins."

"Mordred hasn't even officially been crowned, though," Douglas grumbled. I could tell this was all bothering him. "I know where they live, though." Oh? "I can't go directly. Almost did, but realized it would leave Mordred open. I'm his only _real_ guard at the moment." Douglas, you were fifteen years old. "I tried getting messages out, but I found them torn in the trash, and I don't know who to trust." Ouch… "How did you all know…?"

"We were looking into something else, but might have found a link. Nicky's been trying to see you."

"I knew Lord Nicholas hadn't abandoned us." …Oh, right. I forgot Douglas had a bit of hero-worship there. "I did get a bird message from Lord Urien too, that he was on his way back. I couldn't reply, of course." But Urien was close. "Is… is Mordred…?"

"I can give him an antidote to help buy him some time," Hassar answered. He was rummaging through the pack on his hip. "If he gets another dose, though, I don't think he'll make it." He glanced up at me. "We have to deal with those assassins quickly."

"We should also just get some of us in here to help him," Maria added, pointing to Douglas. Douglas, for his part, just looked ready to cry from sheer relief. "So, it'll be a split group." Not ideal when we did not know what we were dealing with, but honestly, if a real assassin came, Douglas would not stand a chance. "Hassar, Amanda, I'll go on ahead and let them know."

"And then we'll figure out the groups and move." Yes, that was best for this. "Amanda, I need a hand with helping him drink this."

Administering antidotes, waiting, and then a race against time to protect a little king. This was _not_ how I expected any of this to go. But, then again, it was clear we were in a situation that no one had any right to expect.

I knew this whole thing would be convoluted, but I think we were well beyond that now.

* * *

Next Chapter – Poisonous Fangs


	13. Chapter 13) Poisonous Fangs

Chapter 13) Poisonous Fangs

* * *

 _Of course, rumors still circled through the courts after Lord Nicholas and Lady Elizabeth married. There are many letters mentioning of the strain that put on their relationship, but they persevered. She had complete trust in him on this, and he always worked hard to ensure he was worthy of that trust._

 _The rumors reached a head when a noblewoman came forward, claiming to have born his bastard child. That was a scandal that could have destroyed Lord Nicholas. But, instead, he pulled one clever trick, and unmasked a horrible conspiracy._

* * *

Douglas gave us a very specific address. An estate I remember the owners often renting out to other nobles, both local and foreign. It seemed the practice had not changed, and that made it the perfect place to hide assassins.

The group going to infiltrate was small. Me, Hassar, Uther, and Madelyn. Nicky _had_ wanted to come with us, but when I reminded him that Douglas really looked up to him, he agreed to remain behind. Any reassurances he could give would resonate more, and Douglas needed it, poor boy. So, he remained with the others, guarding Mordred. Just in case.

When we came to the estate, all eyes turned to me. I knew this place better than them, assuming my memory was correct. I hoped so. Mordred would die if it was not.

"We shall split into two groups from here," I ordered, after thinking for a bit. I hesitated before saying the next bit, though. "Hassar and Madelyn, you head for the eastern entrance. Uther, you and I will head for the western." Hassar looked rather confused by the split, but Madelyn and Uther shrugged without a word, so he kept quiet as well. "Meet you inside." And then we were off, heading for our respective entrances.

"Fun day to infiltrate," Uther whispered as we walked. We stayed in the shadows, careful to time our movements with the wind so the rustling leaves of the shrubs and trees did not stand out. "So, why these pairings, might I ask?"

"Honestly?" I sighed, swinging from one branch to another, in a different tree. The owners maintained a proper garden. "I think Madelyn is safest with Hassar."

"Safest from the assassins, perhaps." Uther kept on the ground, walking carefully. "I'll grant you that, at least."

"…So, you think there is something there too."

"I know Hassar is Mads's type. She has _always_ been attracted to people who were kind, gentle, with a quiet strength." I wondered how long he and Madelyn knew each other. "That he needs someone to look after him only heightens the chances, since she's naturally a rather helpful and nagging person."

"Meaning more interactions, more getting to know each other, feelings blossom…"

"Lord Hausen pitches a fit." Uther sighed. "So, that's Mads's side. For Hassar, I know he looks after her, a lot. She definitely caught his eye; he wouldn't remember her when she disappeared if she hadn't."

"He is also very protective of her." Of course, being protective of her made _sense_. She was definitely the least experienced of us, but even with her knight here, Hassar seemed to make a point to keep an eye on her. She even rode with him over Eagler. "And he was willing to brave the _Etrurian_ market because she asked." Which was… really, that surprised me. "That might have been that protection thing again, but still."

"Still, it's enough to make one wonder." Uther gave me a dirty look. "And, of course, you arranged for the two of them to be _alone_ with each other."

"My priority is heightening our chances of _not_ all dying to Bernese assassins. If something happens between them…" I thought of what happened with me. I had simply wanted to break an arranged marriage. "Is she engaged?"

"No, but there are a _lot_ of lords wanting her to be their wife." Uther made a face. "Marquess Araphan is the loudest of them, and I think Lord Hausen has been considering it. Araphan and Caelin have been close for _decades_." He shook his head. "That said; he wouldn't force one on her. Lundgren has long since pointed out that the best way to chase Mads away would be to force her into a marriage."

"Lundgren is…?"

"Mads's uncle, Lord Hausen's younger brother. From what I understand, the three are incredibly close." Uther snickered. "He teaches her all sorts of unladylike things. Like poker." Like what now. "He's a tad ambitious, but it's clear he loves his niece and brother dearly, and wants only what's best for them. Even if he argues with Lord Hausen over Mads's future happiness."

"Sounds adorable."

"It really is." Uther smiled warmly. "Can't imagine any of them purposely harming each other either. It's so _nice_ to see that with siblings. I hope I can keep such good relations with Orun and Hector." His eyes sharpened. "We're here." Yes. Yes, we were. Time to jump down and use those lockpicks Nicky gave me.

It was easy to pick the lock, and it was not long at all before we walked into the estate. I kept my eyes sharp for traps. If it was so easy to break in, then it _always_ meant there were secondary defenses to deal with any overconfident fools.

I barely managed to catch one, an arrow trap triggered by a loose stone. I dragged Uther down as they fired, to avoid having our faces replaces by far too many arrows. He suddenly rolled, though, taking me with him, and it took me a second to realize why. There were blades jutting out from the lower part of the wall. If we had been standing, it would have taken us out at the legs. But crouching as we had been to avoid the arrow trap, it would have easily taken our heads.

"A double trap," I murmured, looking at the traps critically. Whoever these Bernese Assassins were, they were not fools. "Clever, clever. I was only expecting one." I hoped Hassar and Madelyn were all right.

"I'm just glad I happened to see the glint," Uther grumbled. He looked annoyed. "Two traps. How rude. One is bad manners enough." Ha. "You okay? I did just drag you roughly."

"A bit bruised, nothing too bad. You?"

"Just a little winded. I'm sure my heart will settle before long." He sighed, relaxing slightly. "Mads and Hassar better be all right." Yes… "Also, I don't mind you hanging over me, but you have your elbows in my gut, and I like breathing."

"Oh, sorry." I shifted, and then… just realized how we were. Uther was lying on his back, with me on top of him, his hands still protectively around my waist. My hair fell down almost like a curtain, shutting out the world. That was how close to his face I was. "Um… should not momentum have led to _you_ being on top?" That was how it always ended up in stories, at least?

"Almost did, but I made sure to twist." Why? "I figured you'd freak out if I was hovering over you." …Because I told him about Albert. He was being careful, because of that. "Speaking of which, are you okay?"

"…I am fine." Because he was careful. "Though, I cannot imagine my weight is very productive to you breathing." I shifted to sit next to him and he sat up with a grunt. "Are you okay?"

"As I said, I think I'm just a little winded. Don't think I banged my head or anything." He slowly stood up, glancing around for anything moving, and then held out his hand to me. "May I?"

I took his hand hesitantly and let him pull me up. He let go as soon as I was steady. That was… very different from Albert. Albert would have used the grip to pull me to the side and force a kiss on me. "Thank you."

"It's no trouble." His smile was warm. "Shall we continue?"

I nodded silently, and we continued moving. There were a couple more traps, but nothing as startling as that double trap. Slowly and carefully, we looked through the rooms, snagging any paper that looked intriguing, any vial that looked like it might be poison or antidote.

The sounds of fighting caught our ears, though, and we bolted for it, weapons out as we rounded a corner. Once there, though, we found Madelyn and Hassar fighting back to back. There were a lot of sword and lance users, but Hassar took care of the latter, and Madelyn handled the former with relative ease. They were injured, but nothing that seemed crippling as Madelyn killed the last one. That was… efficient.

"We did it!" she laughed, jumping to hug Hassar. He caught her easily, and smiled softly as she continued to laugh. "Oh, thank goodness. I was so worried I'd hold you back." She turned and waved at us. "Hi, you two. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, everything is find, Mads," Uther answered. He smiled at her. "We just heard fighting and came running. Did you all encounter enemies instead of traps?"

"I think so. I didn't notice any traps?" Madelyn looked up at Hassar. "Were there any?"

"There was one _on_ the door, but it was easily disabled," Hassar replied. I noticed his hand lingering on her shoulder. I was not sure if either of them noticed. "Regardless, these are just the guards. The main group left earlier to 'finish the target'." Oh. Great.

"Then it is time to run and hope we can intercept," I sighed. What a pain. "We will just go back the way you came."

"Might slip in blood."

"It shall save us some time, and make us look scary enough to make them pause." Then they would be easy targets. "Time to move."

"Right."

* * *

Running, running, running. Honestly, I did not think I had run so much ever in my life. I could really feel myself flagging. I did _not_ have the stamina for this. Honestly, none of us did, really. Well, maybe Uther. _He_ seemed fine. Of course, he was easily the slowest of us four, so that counteracted anything. Or something.

We used shortcuts I remembered from my life here. Little side streets that I had laughed about. Hidden paths through buildings that Albert would drag me through for an 'adventure', or to be out of sight. Thanks to that, we actually did manage to catch up with the group of assassins, and overtake them.

"Okay, so, some of us here are really pissed off," I growled, already settling into a stance. The Bernese assassins did the same. "So let us just get this over with."

"You may try," one of them replied. They wielded a lance easily, as easily as Nicky. "In the name of the Fang, I sentence you to death." Fang… so, this _was_ the Black Fang. Well, that did not matter.

"Then let us go hunting." I charged forward, blades out, and they did the same. Yes, it did not matter. All that did was-

"Wait!" …WAS THAT MADELYN JUST JUMPED BETWEEN US, AND MY KNIFE WAS IN HER SHOULDER AND THE BLACK FANG PERSON CLIPPED HER SIDE! "Hold on a moment," she pleaded, voice breathy from the pain. I could only stumble back in shock, and the spokesperson actually dropped their lance. "Might we speak?" Hassar immediately lunged for her, eyes wide with horror, but she stepped out of reach and shook her head. "Please, might we speak?" This was _not_ happening.

"There is nothing to speak about," the spokesperson replied. They made no move to retrieve their lance, though. "We complete the missions given us."

"And what is that mission?" Madelyn danced out of Hassar's reach _again_ , and I shared an incredulous look with Uther, who could only stare back in the same stunned shock. She was still in the way. If they attacked, she was going to die, and there would be nothing any of us could do about it. If she did not get _treated_ soon, she was going to die, and there would be nothing any of us could do about it. _What was she doing_?! "Please, tell me."

"We are to kill an Albert Kerinei." …Wait, really? Then why were we stopping them? Wait, no, hold on, according to everything _else_ … "We have been using a poison to weaken him."

"But that poison has not being going to Albert, though." Madelyn's words made the Fang pause. "It's going to a fourteen year old prince who just lost his father." Their eyes wavered. "I know this to be true. Albert nearly killed my friends and I not two days ago."

"That is… strange." The spokesperson relaxed their stance, even if the others remained on guard. They still did not retrieve their lance. "We have been setting this up for a year and a half now." Meaning they likely killed King Gawain.

"Who was it that hired you?" Madelyn stepped a little closer, eyes entreating. "What did he look like?"

"Blonde hair, blue eyes, and a scar across his cheek. It looked as if someone had split his face." That…!

" _That_ is Albert!" I yelped, startled. I could not believe this. He had the gall to hire assassins after him, just to use the poison on…! "There is no way it is not!" Albert had this planned far, far too well. He had always been crafty, but this much? Who was his helper? Who was his partner?

"…Is that so?" the speaker asked. They frowned heavily before reaching into their pocket and tossing a vial towards us. Hassar caught it easily. "That is the antidote to the poison." Wait, what?

"Just like that?"

"There is clearly something wrong, and the Fang only go after their targets. No more, and no less." They shrugged. "I would rather take the chance and ensure there are not more accidental casualties. Our job is to kill a wicked noble who abuses his power, not a fourteen year old who has not even had the time to mourn, much less figure out how to use power." They made some sort of gesture, and the Fang started to actually retreat. "We will depart for now." _Now_ they grabbed their lance. "If it turns out you were false, we will ensure our jaws snap shut on your heads." That… that was a lovely mental image.

But they did leave. That was… that was…

"Are you insane?!" That was enough to make Hassar yell, glaring down at Madelyn. She looked right back at him, smiling warmly. "You could have been killed!" he snapped. I crossed my arms and nodded in agreement. She was still bleeding. "You're injured!"

"But I got the antidote~" Madelyn half-sang. She swayed a little, face pinching as the pain slowly started to register wherever she through her mind. "Without fighting, too."

"That does not change what might have happened!" He dug through his pack, hands shaking horribly as he tried to find bandages. Uther went to help him, and Hassar just shoved the whole pack at him before returning his attention to Madelyn. "What possessed you to even try?!"

"They're vigilantes, right?" She tried to shrug, but my dagger in her shoulder prevented that. I felt sick. I killed for a living. I killed to survive. But this… this was different. I hurt a _friend_ , and I just wanted to throw up. "I thought it strange that vigilantes would target someone who did not officially hold a crown yet."

"That is only a reputation that could be _grossly_ exaggerated!"

"Well, yes, but is it so wrong to believe that someone might be telling the truth?" Madelyn leaned up a little to scowl. "You are the one who says that one should not stop believing in ideals just because reality is harsh."

"That…" Hassar looked frustrated. "That's different."

"I don't see how it is." Her scowl deepened. "I think it is very admirable. Why should I not also follow?"

"You could have _died_!"

"Well, you have almost died many times protecting me, if you will recall! Why is it bad that I try to do the same?"

"Because…!"

"Um… you two?" Uther hesitantly interrupted. He actually flinched when both glared at him. "Look, is this something you two should be discussing when your emotions are running really high? I mean; _can_ you two even properly and coherently express why you're getting frustrated?" Silence was his only reply. "So, how about we set about fixing up Madelyn so she doesn't bleed out while on the way to Yodel, and we get that antidote to Mordred before he kicks the bucket, yes?"

They both reluctantly nodded, but when Uther went to put the bandages on Madelyn, Hassar actually snatched it from his hands to do it himself. Uther just shrugged it off, and took the antidote from Hassar and went on inside. Madelyn remained scowly, but she held still as Hassar went to work.

Me? I stayed with them, just watching. Partially to make sure they did not descend into another argument, partially to make sure there were an extra pair of hands in case Hassar needed them, and partially to make sure that the Fang really did keep their word.

That they appeared to was… unnerving. I had never known assassins to back down from a contract for something like 'honor'. It… really made me question some of the things I did in the past, and I was not even sure why. I just knew it unsettled me, almost as much as the fact that I had injured Madelyn in the first place.

* * *

Hassar and Madelyn were still pouty with each other an hour later, to the point that for the first time in a long while, they did not even sit next to each other as we all grouped together in an empty side room. Madelyn sat by Eagler, who fussed over her injuries, and Hassar stood near Elbert, who looked _so_ confused by everything. The rest of us just crowded around awkwardly, and pretended we did not notice.

"Well, allow me to be the one to begin," Yodel started. He looked a little drained. "Prince Mordred is fine." We all breathed a sigh of relief at that. I had been worried the 'antidote' was really an additional dose of poison. "While I am certain his health will never _fully_ recover, he will be able to live a long and hopefully happy life." Yes… "Nicholas is bringing in Hanover's guards to assist Douglas in keeping him safe as he recuperates, and I tossed out Albert's healers."

"And I made a big fuss about them not noticing the poison, which means those healers will be investigated," Nicky grumbled. It was _embarrassing_ how much the court was going to ignore such a thing. "I am reminded as to why I only come here when I have to. I can't wait for my kids to grow up. Then I can make _them_ go."

"You would fret yourself sick. Again."

"I would not."

"Nicholas, you once went three days without sleep because Mark had a cold."

"He wanted stories."

"And _then_ you decided to keep up with your duties."

"Which I performed perfectly."

"You nearly fell off your horse while it was standing still."

"But I didn't, so it doesn't matter."

"I see Nicky still refuses to take care of himself," I deadpanned. Nicky made a face, while Yodel gave me one that all but screamed 'THANK YOU!'. "For the record, Nicky will often forget that food is a thing, so don't feel bad about nagging him." I sighed, leaning a little more against the wall. I still felt sick about earlier. "So, Albert hired the Black Fang, on himself, in order to use their skills to _actually_ kill Mordred."

"Taking advantage of how he and Mordred have similar coloring," Marcus murmured. He frowned heavily. "Ridiculous."

"It nearly _worked_."

"You can't be impressed."

"You are allowed to admire cleverness, even if you hate the person. And, let us face it. This was _very_ clever." And, again, _it nearly worked_. "I suppose the next part is…"

"Is confronting Albert himself," Elbert pointed out. His eyes were determined, resolved. "That is the only place the trail leads. Fighting him in his own domain." Right…

"If that is the case, then I can get some of us in," Nicky offered. He looked rather thoughtful. "I'll pretend to be willing to sell horses to him." Nicky? "It's something he's wanted for years. Even if he suspects a trap, the possibility that it is not will be too tempting. So, we can get some in as guards, and use it as a distraction for the others."

"With that, we can head in, and get what evidence we need."

"I… know some places where he at least _used_ to keep important things," I whispered slowly. I clasped my hands to keep them from shaking as I _realized_ just what was going on. We were bringing the fight to Albert this time. Albert, who I… who I was still absolutely terrified of. Albert, who nearly killed Uther last time. And we were going to his _house_. I had always hated it there. "So… I can… check those places…"

"I'll go with you," Uther _immediately_ offered. I had never been so grateful in my life. "I do know _some_ sneaking at least, and I can be really good bait. Albert definitely knows my face now." Yes, that was… wait…

"He nearly killed you."

"Yes, and?"

"You can't be bait with someone who nearly killed you."

"I think that makes me even better bait, actually."

"You… you absolute idiot!"

"Charming too! Don't forget that!"

"Infuriating little…!"

"Hassar, Mommy and Daddy are fighting again," Maria deadpanned. That made both of us pause and look at her in confusion. "You bicker like a married couple." We did? What about any of _that_ sounded like a married couple? "Why are you looking at me weirdly?"

"I can't speak for Uther, but the only couple Amanda's ever _really_ been around is Cristina and me," Nicky pointed out. He had a warm smile on his face. For some reason. "Cristina and I really don't bicker. She yells and I cower." Or poke holes in her logic. "Regardless, we can't avoid him, and you do need someone with you. Uther can better fast-talk the servants." True… "Well, that's decided." Nicky, nothing was decided at all! "So, what are going to be the other roles?"

Why was I the only one who saw a problem in this?!

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. Bad injuries to my back resulted in permanent nerve damage or something, giving me a pins and needles feeling in two fingers of my right hand. The fact that we're confronting Albert has me absolutely terrified. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia. He is INCREDIBLY INFURIATING and stupidly kind. Wields axes. While I AM grateful he's coming with me, I'm terrified of what might happen if he and Albert meet again. He is very careful about my fears. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary. Hails from the Lorca tribe. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies. I think he might be falling for Madelyn, but it is difficult to say. At the least, he is very protective of her, and it is clear her being in danger is a great fear of his. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Maria, Ilian Knight. Though she had been fighting without a paycheck, she's cheerful about Nicky's offer of payment. Knows hand to hand combat. Fretter, but good at flying. Wields lances. Seems to adore kids. Got a haircut thanks to Douglas, meaning her hair is short now. Seems to think Uther and I bicker like 'an old married couple'? Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· ** _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Frets over Hassar, and I think she might be falling for him. Is rather good at moving quietly, due to sneaking around her own castle, and is perhaps the bravest of us. Or the most foolish. I have no idea which one. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· ** _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae.. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He is definitely the type to keep walking forward, no matter what. He and Uther have apparently been friends since he was a child. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· _Marcus, knight of Pherae. Or is it butler? All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. He is no longer the oldest of us. He is cautious and wary by nature, a trait that makes him very valuable. He got yelled at by a three year old. A cavalier who specializes in lances. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

· _Eagler, knight of Caelin. While it is clear who is the knight and who is the noble, some of my observations make me think he and Madelyn share an almost sibling-like relation. If there was any doubt that he would fight to the death to protect Madelyn, the fact that he charged through Nicky's guards to reach him for help dispels that notion. A paladin with equal skill in swords and lances, though he is still obviously learning axes. Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

· ** _Nicky, Count Hanover. My dear cousin, who I grew up with. Was a 'young knight', meaning he was a prodigy in fighting, thanks to keen sight and intelligence, so much so that Etruria all but forced him to skip some years of training, becoming a full-fledged knight at only fourteen. Despite his cynical outlook, many knights in training, like Douglas, look up to him. Hates himself, but keeps sane by remembering that others love him. Had Wuotan as a confidant the past five years, which I think helped even out his rather deadly temper. Specializes in lances, like many Etrurian knights, and also trained in swords. Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

· ** _Yodel, acolyte. He has an excellent bedside manner to cooperative patients. He retains his no-nonsense demeanor though, even as a healer, and despite having no weapons training, I'm certain he still remembers how to 'fight dirty'. I'm willing to bet he could knock someone out with his staff. Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

Author's Notes: I cannot remember if the game says when the Black Fang was established, but in Tactician's Testimony, I had it be 'twenty years' prior to chapter 7x, meaning it's been around for 4 years at this point. Might as well keep up the tradition of them being manipulated, yeah? The unnamed Black Fang member who speaks takes his lines from Lloyd's in his version of Four Fanged Offense.

Next Chapter - Hyacinth


	14. Chapter 14) Hyacinth

Chapter 14) Hyacinth

* * *

 _The clever trick was clever simply because it was simple. He chatted with the girl, and managed to catch her in a contradiction. From there, it was like he had pulled a thread, and discovered a plot to assassinate the royal family and install a 'puppet ruler', the little boy they claimed was Lord Nicholas._

 _The scandal was so great, and the ruler, King Danarius, was a harsh ruler. The whole house, save for that little boy, was executed as traitors. The little boy, named Jason, was adopted by Lord Nicholas and Lady Elizabeth._

* * *

I rode with Nicky as we made our way from Aquelia to Albert's estates. It was a lengthier journey, since Albert leaved near the border with Ilia, and I had to fight my shaking all the while. Nicky would tell me outrageous stories to help me calm down, but I noticed him tense more and more as we got closer. Neither of us had good memories of this house, and I knew it made Nicky _ill_ to even think about being amicable with Albert.

But, finally, we arrived, and split into our groups. Hassar, Madelyn, and Maria were one group, who would check to see if there was anyone in the dungeons. Nicky and Yodel would head inside to talk to Albert, along with Elbert, Marcus, and Eagler. Something about showing Elbert around, and helping Eagler find his 'lost lady' while talking business.

Uther and I slipped in through a servants' entrance to go hunting for incriminating documents. This would be so much easier if I could actually breathe.

"I hope Madelyn and Hassar do not make things awkward for Maria," I murmured, mostly to just _do_ something as we walked through the quiet, unused hallways. The place was dusty. Where were Albert's servants and what were they doing? "They are still not quite…"

"I'm sure Maria will shame them before long," Uther 'reassured'. It made me smile, at least. "Also, Albert needs better help. I can feel a cough coming on from how dusty everything is."

"It did not used to be this way." I always remembered it being stupidly clean. "I do not like it."

"Yeah, the coughing sucks." He shuddered. "I _hate_ coughing, even more than throwing up."

"Most people would consider the latter worse."

"Consumption supposedly runs in the family." …Oh. "That's the rumor, at least. Never known a family member to die from it, though." He shrugged. "Besides, I'm rather certain that given my habits, I'm more likely to die from a dagger to the back."

"That is _not_ the thing to say to me when there is a chance we will encounter the person who nearly killed you." And _would_ have if he had decided to not torture Uther to death.

"Will you feel better if I promise that I won't die before you?" He snickered when I gave him a droll look. "Well, I will anyway."

"You are infuriating, sometimes." Sighing, I shook my head and glanced around. I… knew this area. "We can peek into the receiving room if we use this door up here."

"Let's. I want to see what's up."

Slowly and carefully, I led the way, and made certain to open the door in a way that did not make any sound. I knew this door well. I would use it when I wanted to escape the estate, and feared running into someone. Just as it did back then, it opened for me easily, and Uther and I peered inside. And there, I got a surprise.

"Who is the silver haired man?" Uther asked. I was still staring. "I mean; he and Nicholas are bouncing off each other well, and Elbert looks adorably lost." Yes, Elbert did. Marcus and Eagler were stoic, but I could see them both glance at each other. "So?"

"His name is Urien," I answered slowly. I… had not been expecting him _here_. "He is the Count of Reglay. Has a son named Pent if I'm remembering correctly."

"Did Nicholas know he was going to be here?"

"No." All logic dictated that Urien would be in Reglay or Aquelia, not _here_. "But he and Urien have always been good at playing along with each other's schemes."

"So, Urien is here to help."

"Urien is here to deal with Albert." That was the only explanation. "And is willing to help us since we share the same goal." I stepped away from the door, dragging Uther with me as I shut it. "Come on. We have to see if there are papers."

I tugged him after me, and we carefully made our way through all the dusty hallways, not encountering anyway. This was… eerie. This was beyond eerie. We should have had to hide from at least twenty servants by now. Where were they?

I thought of the morphs. I thought of how they were made. And I wondered if, maybe, Albert had used all his servants as sacrifices before moving on to whores and kids.

With those disturbing thoughts in my head, I opened the door to the wine cellar and crept down, one careful step at a time. Albert's parents had been 'against' drinking for whatever reason. I think it was a health thing. But regardless, no one ever used this place five years ago. It made a _very_ good hiding place, both for innocent hide and seek and… not so innocent things.

I had to fight back waves of nausea as I wandered through the dusty, unopened bottles of wine. Uther stayed back, guarding the staircase, and did not try to fill the silence. I was grateful to that, as it took everything I had to not shake, and just focus on where in the racks Albert used to hide important documents.

I found it not fair from the stairs, tucked a little behind them. The crisp paper was dusty, and stained, but still legible. The first line alone proved his guilt at least in poisoning Mordred. I did not need more.

Two seconds after that revelation, though, there was a crash, a scream, and a _giant_ fireball rushing down the hallway. I could see it from the open door.

"So, whose throwing fire?" Uther asked dryly. He looked so unsurprised that I could not help but laugh. "Seriously, who?"

"Urien is a talented magic user," I answered, coming to stand beside him. Even if we were at the bottom of the stairs, I could easily see two more fly by the door. "Almost all rulers of Reglay are, actually. Magic is very potent in the bloodline."

"Then I take it someone got very tired of playing nice."

"Yes, I think so." A beat of silence. "We need to find the others."

"Mads, Hassar, and Madelyn first."

"Right."

* * *

I gave Uther the papers. I figured it was a better idea than me holding them, just… knowing Albert. When we happen to pass an exasperated Eagler, though, he tossed the papers to him. Because Albert. More of those weird morph things were about, fighting, but Uther and I ignored them, leaving them to the others and heading for the dungeons where Madelyn, Hassar, and Maria should be. Hopefully.

The problem was? This estate had a _very_ extensive dungeon. It was an entire floor on its own. I... had forgotten that.

"Why are there so many?" Uther growled. I did not reply. I had no idea. "And, of course, we're at a fork." Yes, we were. And there were no sounds to help us pick a direction. "So, which way?"

"There are two paths, and two of us," I pointed out. He set his jaw stubbornly. "We do not have time. We have no idea where Albert is."

"That is exactly _why_ I don't want to split up." Yes, that was… I was scared. "I don't want you alone with him." And I did not want _him_ alone with Albert either. It was actually hard to say which I scenario I was more afraid of.

But still… "We _have_ to find the others. They are not expecting a fight yet." And who knew if they had found anyone. If there were kids here… "Whoever finds them first will just…" I groped for words. "Will just come find the other. We do not have the time to argue, and if they get ambushed…"

"…" He did not look happy. I did not feel happy. But he carefully took my hand and kissed it. "If you get afraid, hide." I 'felt' more than 'heard' the words. "I will find you." Uther… "So, stay safe, dear~"

"You too, darling." The automatic, easy little banter was enough to make me smile, and he smiled back as he let go of my hand. "I shall see you soon."

"Count on it." He ran one way, and I picked the other. My heart hammered in my throat as I ran.

On and on, I ran, listening for any sort of sound. A gentle reassurance. A yell. The sound of arrows. The sound of metal. Anything. But as I ran, it got harder and harder to hear anything but my own pulse. My own breathing. Everything was so silent, and I was terrified that I would just turn a corner and…

Something caught me. Something caught me around the shoulders, tugging me until my back his something warm and hard. I squirmed, trying to get free, but whoever had me, they were keen on keeping me exactly where I was. I would have better luck escaping chains.

"There you are, pretty flower," my captor whispered in my ear. I froze. Albert. Albert had me. "I have been _most_ distressed by your absence. Surely, you know better than to keep me _waiting_ …"

"Let… me go…" I rasped. I struggled, trying to remember the tricks to escaping someone's grasp. But fear clouded my head, and it was so hard to think, and even harder to breathe. Dagger. Where were my daggers? Who… was going to be my target?

"No, you do such horrible things when I let you go. Like kiss other men." His cold mouth was on my neck, and I tried to scream. But I could not find the breath. I was thirteen, fourteen again, and… and… "You know better than that."

"I…"

"I own you, Amanda. I have ever since you were born, and we were betrothed." Help… "Now, we should make up for lost time. You've only gotten prettier over the years…" I…

There was a shout. I had no idea who. But it was not a voice my thirteen, fourteen year old self knew. It was someone Lady Amanda of House Hanover never knew. It was someone Amanda, Huntress of Ostia, knew, though. And that was enough to drag me back from my terror filled memories, and finally _twist_ to escape.

"Do not touch me!" I snapped, putting some distance between us. I found my daggers and unsheathed them. Albert, for his part, only looked amused. "You are not allowed to touch me!"

"Pretty flower, you're going to just hurt yourself," he cooed, smiling slowly. I had to fight off the urge to shudder. I hated that smile. I had hated it back then, and I hated it even more now. "Put away the weapons."

"No, I rather like having sharp, pointy things between me and you." I took another step back. My neck hurt. "I found the papers. I know what you are up to. We already saved Mordred."

"A shame. It would've been better if the boy died in his sleep, instead of seeing the calamity that is to come."

"How like you to pretend you have virtues."

"How like you to pretend you have any worth." His eyes narrowed. "I do love your defiance, but I remembered how you whimpered under me. You enjoyed my attentions." I…

"I think you need some sense knocked into your head." Something hit Albert from behind, and I could only stare in absolute _shock_ as Albert crumpled to reveal Uther, bloody axe in hand. "There you are," Uther continued, smiling softly at me. I could still only stare. "You okay?"

"You…!" Albert growled, swaying as he stood. Blood gushed down his neck and back. "What are _you_ doing here?"

"Looking for Amanda. I made a promise." He… he did. He promised I would not have to be alone. He promised to find me. And he _did_. "But I won't say 'no' to a rematch for that duel we had."

Albert tried to retort, but Uther swung, catching him on the arm. Summoning up all the courage I had, I lunged forward, stabbing my daggers deep into Albert's chest, and ripping them out in a spray of blood. I was tense enough to shake as I settled into a stance next to Uther, who shifted to guard me.

Albert stumbled back, blood streaming down and staining his clothes. He stared as if he could not comprehend what was going on. So, Uther and I stepped forward, intending on ending this once and for all.

But there was a flash of light, and I dragged Uther back as a bolt of thunder magic cracked through the air, scorching the ground where we had been. As the magic dissipated, a… person just appeared in front of Albert. Androgynous in body, dressed in more masculine clothes, but with a softer, almost feminine face. Long, wavy black hair held back by a circlet. Sharp, gold eyes. An impassive expression.

They took Albert by the arm and just… disappeared, leaving only the crackling air and silence behind.

"What… just happened?" Uther asked slowly in the echoing silence. His eyes were wide, and I saw his hand shake as he relaxed. "Who was that?"

"I have no idea," I answered honestly. I dropped one of my daggers and reached for my neck, where Albert had… "The others?"

"They're fine. I ran into them, and then came looking for you."

"Oh." That made sense. "Uther?"

"Yeah?"

"…Is there a hickey?" I got only silence as a reply. "There is, isn't there." Though I phrased it as a question, my tone made it a statement. "Of course there is." My neck had always hurt after he forced one on me. Why would it be different now?

"…Is there anything you would like me to do?" He shifted to look me in the eye, but I noticed he was very careful about keeping his distance.

"I am going to want a choker or scarf or something to hide this stupid thing until it fades." Could healing magic just get rid of it? It was technically a bruise, after all. "And…"

"Yes?"

"…I… would like a hug." I could feel the fear pool in my stomach. Maybe I should not have said that. Maybe I should have just kept quiet. Yes, Uther was not Albert, but at the same time, I could not help but be afraid anyway.

But he moved slowly, giving me plenty of time to change my mind, and his hug was gentle. He was careful of where his hands fell as he pulled me closer, and I slowly relaxed, resting my head against his shoulder.

I would not quite call it 'safe', but it was warm. It was warm, and reassuring, and that… that was what I needed right now.

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. Bad injuries to my back resulted in permanent nerve damage or something, giving me a pins and needles feeling in two fingers of my right hand. I… managed to break free of Albert, but I still want to claw off my skin. I wish I had done more damage. I wish I had unfrozen enough to do more damage sooner. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia. He is INCREDIBLY INFURIATING and stupidly kind. Wields axes. Thankfully, his encounter with Albert this time turned out better than last time. He is very careful about my fears, and is just… very gentle in general with me. He also keeps his promises to me. I like that. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary. Hails from the Lorca tribe. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies. I think he might be falling for Madelyn, but it is difficult to say. At the least, he is very protective of her, and it is clear her being in danger is a great fear of his. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· _Maria, Ilian Knight. Though she had been fighting without a paycheck, she's cheerful about Nicky's offer of payment. Knows hand to hand combat. Fretter, but good at flying. Wields lances. Seems to adore kids. Got a haircut thanks to Douglas, meaning her hair is short now. Seems to think Uther and I bicker like 'an old married couple'? Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Frets over Hassar, and I think she might be falling for him. Is rather good at moving quietly, due to sneaking around her own castle, and is perhaps the bravest of us. Or the most foolish. I have no idea which one. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He is definitely the type to keep walking forward, no matter what. He and Uther have apparently been friends since he was a child. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· _Marcus, knight of Pherae. Or is it butler? All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. He is no longer the oldest of us. He is cautious and wary by nature, a trait that makes him very valuable. He got yelled at by a three year old. A cavalier who specializes in lances. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

· ** _Eagler, knight of Caelin. While it is clear who is the knight and who is the noble, some of my observations make me think he and Madelyn share an almost sibling-like relation, though her spending time with Hassar makes it difficult to see if I'm right. I think he's utterly exasperated with all of us. A paladin with equal skill in swords and lances, though he is still obviously learning axes. Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

· _Nicky, Count Hanover. My dear cousin, who I grew up with. Was a 'young knight', meaning he was a prodigy in fighting, thanks to keen sight and intelligence, so much so that Etruria all but forced him to skip some years of training, becoming a full-fledged knight at only fourteen. Despite his cynical outlook, many knights in training, like Douglas, look up to him. Hates himself, but keeps sane by remembering that others love him. Had Wuotan as a confidant the past five years, which I think helped even out his rather deadly temper. Specializes in lances, like many Etrurian knights, and also trained in swords. Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

· ** _Yodel, acolyte. He has an excellent bedside manner to cooperative patients. He retains his no-nonsense demeanor though, even as a healer, and despite having no weapons training, I'm certain he still remembers how to 'fight dirty'. I'm willing to bet he could knock someone out with his staff. I'm going to ask if he can tend to the… bruise… on my neck. Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

* * *

Author's Note: And I'd say that ends the first 'arc' of the story. Three guesses as to who the morph who came to Albert's rescue was, and the first two don't count. So, the fun of writing prequels is the whole 'dramatic irony' thing. That's part of the fun with FE7 (where they reference a lot of FE6 things). I've been throwing them in, but I thought I'd call attention to it this time.

Next Chapter – Golden Eyes


	15. Chapter 15) Golden Eyes

Chapter 15) Golden Eyes

* * *

 _Lord Jason was never a contender for heirship, and there was really no way to insist that he should have it. Even officially adopted, he was younger than two of the three potential heirs. Some tried to point out revenge, but Lord Nicholas never hid what happened from the boy._

 _So, Lord Jason grew up happy, best friends with the heir of Hanover, the Lord Cedric, and the two generated quite a few stories with their 'adventures'._

* * *

Albert's disappearance gave us free reign of the estate, and the horrors within. We got him on over _five hundred_ counts of murder, torture, attempted murder, and rape, not even going into the assassination of King Gawain and the attempted assassination of Crown Prince Mordred. It got really complicated because Nicky and Urien needed us _on hand_ , without anyone really knowing we were here, because _that_ would possible spark off war.

I glared at my reflection, trying and failing to relax. Yodel had managed to lessen the hickey, but was unable to get it to disappear entirely, so I wore a shirt with a high collar. I had tried to wear a choker, but found myself digging into my neck soon after, shaking in terror as memories flooded back. But I hated the shirt. The high collar made it hard to breath. But I knew I would have hated it much, _much_ more to have the stupid thing visible.

A knock on the door startled me from my glaring contest with my reflection, and I turned to the door warily. I was not really sure how up I was to seeing anyone, but I knew I could not hide in my room forever. Especially since whoever was at the door knocked again.

"Come in," I finally called. I went over to the closet to find a different shirt. "Though, do not come in if you are uncomfortable seeing me without a shirt."

"Oh, please, I grew up in the barracks!" Maria's laughing voice announced her presence even before she opened the door. "Morning, Amanda!" she cheerfully greeted me, and I noticed she was hiding something behind her back as she kicked the door shut behind her. "What's wrong with the shirt you had on?"

"The neck is too constricting." I had to fight off the urge to reach up and dig into the offending mark on my neck. I just wanted to claw it off, along with most of my skin. "What brings you here at this hour?"

"Well…oh, hey, go with the brown shirt." There were three or thirty. "The one by your right hand." Oh, this one. Yes, it was a pretty one, and honestly, one of my favorites of the clothes Nicky had bought me. But the neckline was not high… "It'll make you feel better~"

Well, she had a point. I did feel better wearing pretty clothes. "Well, for right now, at least." I slipped it on, and felt a smile force its way onto my face. I still could not relax, though, and I dared not look at the mirror. "So, did you come in here to give me fashion advice?"

"Why not? I do the same with Madelyn." She shrugged. "Though, that's mostly for what is practical for a fight."

"I see." I crossed my arms and gave her a look. "So?"

"W-well…" She fidgeted a little, and I could tell she was really nervous. "I made you this." She presented me with a beautiful burgundy scarf. "Girls back home use scarves to hide… what's the word you used?"

"Hickey."

"Sure, we'll go with that. We normally call them 'love bites' in Ilia, but there isn't anything 'loving' about that guy putting one on you." Maria… "Anyway, here." She shoved it into my hands, face turning red. "Try it on?"

"Ah, sure." Carefully, I did so, wrapping it around my neck like I had seen in pictures. "There…" Hesitantly, I looked at my reflection, and thought it was… nice. It was nice. Scarves were good. Scarves were better. I never wore one when I was of House Hanover, and it let me breathe. Scarves were good. "Thank you."

"Not a problem~" She beamed, clearly relieved. "Oh, and when we find this Albert guy again, I'm going to ram my lance through his balls, okay?"

"I adore you." I finally relaxed as she giggled. "So, what is the plan for the day?"

"Lord Nicholas is explaining everything to Lord Urien, but that'll take a bit." She shrugged. "Douglas said Prince Mordred wanted to see you, though. You willing?"

"…Yes, let me go." Why would he want to…? "I shall head there. What will you do?"

"Lock Madelyn and Hassar in a closet until they talk." They were still being awkward then. "See you later!"

"Stay safe."

* * *

It turned out that Mordred simply wanted to see me to help him figure out what was 'delusion' and what was 'real'. He had severe difficulties figuring out which one was which while poisoned, and it sometimes extended to now, since he had spent so much time unable to discern anything. It probably didn't help that Douglas was so happy that Mordred was fine that he took to messing with Mordred on purpose.

"I did not swear my undying love for Nyna!" Mordred snapped, face red. Douglas's face was red too, from laughing so hard. "Damn it, Douglas!"

"Language," I chided, laughing too. Mordred might still be confined to bed, but everything about his room was far more cheerful now. "You're fourteen."

"Douglas curses all the time."

"Douglas is fifteen."

"Ugh…" His sulk made me laugh, and made Douglas laugh so hard he fell out of his chair. "Douglas, stop being mean."

"I'm not!" Douglas managed breathlessly. Of course, it was also muffled, because he was curled into a ball on the floor, shaking from laughter. "I'm having fun!"

"You're being _mean_ ," Mordred repeated, sulking more. I bit back another laugh, deciding to have a bit of mercy. "She's not even here."

"Who is Nyna again?" I asked, mostly to take the focus away from the teasing. I knew of a princess of legend by the name, but I highly doubt they were talking about her. "I don't really know the name."

"…My fiancé. It's arranged." Mordred drooped a bit more, groaning. "She's _annoying_!"

"Is that so?" I couldn't help but smirk. "You know; Nicky thought the same of Cristina when _he_ was fourteen."

"He did not. He's always been in love with-" His expression blanked before turning bright red. "Amanda!" I couldn't bite back the laugh that time. "Mean!"

"Think of it was my revenge," Douglas groaned. He finally pulled himself back into his chair, rubbing the tears out of the corner of his eyes. "I was worried!"

"…Sorry…" Mordred mumbled. He curled into himself. "If I hadn't trusted Albert…"

"It is his fault for taking advantage of your kindness, but I am still entitled to my revenge as a friend." That was a logic that barely made sense. "But it's fine. You keep being the open-hearted person. I'll keep you safe."

"But how do I prevent something like this from happening again?"

"I will become the Great General." …That was the leader of the entire army, second only to the king. One of the three generals of Etruria, and the one who governed all the pieces. "That way nothing like this happens again. I promise."

"…K." The answer might have been simple, but Mordred's smile was warm and kind. The sight made me giggle again. "So…"

"I'm _really_ sorry to interrupt." I looked up to see Yodel looking exasperated as he leaned around the open door. "But Maria locked Madelyn and Hassar in a storage closet, _and_ barred the door," he explained. I felt my expression blank as I realized Maria had been absolutely serious. "We're in need of assistance."

"I'll come and help!" Douglas instantly volunteered. He hesitated when he looked at Mordred. "Do you mind?"

"No, I don't mind," Mordred reassured, smiling warmly. He looked pleadingly at me, though, and I realized it was 'I don't mind, so long as someone stays with me'. I smiled at him, and his smile grew. "Amanda will tell me stories like she used to!"

"Okay." Douglas stood up. "I'll be back soon."

"Please check on their healths first."

"Of course."

* * *

It took two hours for Hassar and Madelyn to escape. Eagler was freaking out, but Hassar and Madelyn were laughing and laughing, even as they swore revenge on Maria for the incident. To Maria's credit, she did not _actually_ barricade the door so well, just a simple thing to keep them from escape too soon. But some heavy items had been moved for cleaning, and… well… at least we were all laughing now?

"Can we _try_ to pretend to be serious right now, children?" Yodel sighed. He was probably the only one not immensely amused by the whole situation, but I had a feeling _that_ was because he was the one stuck running around trying to free Hassar and Madelyn. "Urien has been trying, and failing, to get everyone's attention." Well, yes, that was true. But we were also all laughing, and we needed a nice and good laugh. "Urien?"

"Yes, thank you, Yodel," Urien sighed. We were in one of the lounging rooms, or whatever they were called, in the castle, where there were many couches and chairs. Despite that, though, Eagler, Marcus, Hassar, Uther, and I remained standing. Hassar and I were by the doors, and Uther was beside me. Marcus was behind the chair Elbert sat on, and Eagler stood behind the couch Madelyn shared with Maria. "I appreciate the good humor, but we must determine the next step."

"We?" I repeated, eyeing Urien skeptically. I was not the only one. Yodel was too, looking as if he was about to stand up from his chair to check Urien for fever. Actually, Nicky was the only one not surprised, but I had a feeling it came up in their earlier talk. "What do you mean by that?"

"I'm coming along. Deal with it."

"Urien, Pent is how old?" His only response was to point to Nicky, easy since they were sharing a couch. "Nicky is a weird, weird person, Urien. You should not emulate him." The fact that Nicky did not even react made us all laugh again.

"I am not." Urien's dignified answer made us laugh harder. "However, we are both serious people, with serious duties, so it is natural that we sometimes take similar actions."

"It would be helpful to have a mage," Madelyn helpfully pointed out. She was still giggling. "He can help cover us, and free up Hassar." That… was true. Only Hassar was a ranged combatant. The mounted fighters could with javelins, but that was not as reliable. "So, welcome aboard!" And with that cheerful smile, none of us could really find a way to refuse, even if we all did share exasperated looks. Uther and me especially. What had _started_ as a simple partnership was getting rather large.

"Thank you, Madelyn," Urien replied warmly, giving his best 'yes, I know I just won' smile. I was tempted to throw a pillow at his head. "Ah, but I digress. I have information, based on rumors my students bring in." Reglay's magic academy brought in students from all over Elibe. "One in particular caught my ear, and led me to Albert's in the first place."

"What was it?"

"The rumor of another noble house with servants that have a very unusual trait. Golden eyes." …Oh. "The Bernese House of Bellinis, a scion house of the royal family." Bernese… "The falcon to the Royal Family's eagle." He held up a signet ring, and I realized it was the one Uther and I found all that time ago. He had been carrying it this whole time? "This falcon, to be specific." This just got _so_ complicated.

"What's interesting about Bellinis is that they started sending a bunch of expeditions into the Nabata desert," Nicky added. He was looking at the ceiling, as if completely uninterested. "If I have my dates correct, these expeditions started shortly after the rash of murders here in Etruria, and shortly after Albert got his golden eyed morphs." Which, logically, would mean that it was shortly after the morphs appeared in Bellinis. "Quite the coincidence."

"So, it might be in our better interest to head to Nabata, to see if we can head off whatever they're trying to find," Uther summarized. I could feel the mood of the place droop. Nabata was not kind to outsiders. "So, how do we get there without getting ambushed everyone? I don't fancy another one. We all nearly died." And my arm was permanently injured.

"What about a ship?" Elbert suggested after a long, awkward moment of silence. His tone, and hesitant eyes, implied he did not really think it was a _good_ idea, but it was the only one he had. "There is _a_ port on the border, and it's really not that far by boat." No, but the problem was…

"No Etrurian ship will head out that far," Urien pointed out. He sounded, and looked, sour. "Trust me. I _tried_. There's all sorts of treasure in the desert, scrolls and whatnot. But not even the clout of a Great House, of _Reglay_ at that, is enough to get them to go."

"Why is that?"

"I think the same reason why you have difficulties getting a ship to Valor Isle in Lycia. Strong currents, and stronger superstition." The scowl hinted Urien had tried _that_ too. "So, it's not really going to work out."

"But does anyone have a better option?" Uther asked. There was no answer. "Right, then let's at least try. Maybe we'll get lucky." Maybe. "Though, do we have to ask permission or anything to cross?"

"No, the closest port city is in Hanover lands," Nicky explained. He laughed a little. "Or, rather, in the lands of a noble who swears fealty to me, and pays me taxes."

"I don't get Etrurian politics."

"Well, you see, Etruria is divided into five sections, and then those five sections are divided into smaller sections, and each of the sections swears fealty to the big section-"

"Now you're purposely making it convoluted." Uther's scowl just made Nicky laugh. "Well, if that's it, let's disperse. If someone comes up with a better idea, say it."

Yeah, I somehow doubted that would happen. But I had a different worry. There was no reigning king at the moment, so command of the navy was solely in… well… whatever the leader of the navy was called. Typically, some noble who bought his way through the ranks.

And I had no idea who this navy leader was allied with. Mordred? Albert? An unknown third party? Ugh, this was going to be so dangerous.

* * *

That evening, I decided to head to the practice yard to train. All the knights and knights in training were done, leaving the place open for me. Which I liked. That gave me free reign to practice, and continue adapting to the pins and needles feeling in my right ring finger and pinky.

It was still frustrating when I misjudged my grip and the dagger flew wildly from my hands. It was beyond frustrating, actually.

"You're doing well." Somewhere in the middle of my practicing, Elbert showed up, casually holding one dagger I had lost to an impromptu throw. "Though, this did land on the balcony," he explained, pointing up to said balcony for emphasis. "I thought you might want it back."

"…Thanks…" I mumbled, feeling my face heat up from mortification. I took the dagger back without looking at him. "I was wondering where it landed."

"It's no trouble." Elbert looked at me closely, and I squirmed uncomfortably. "Ah, my pardon. I simply realized you do your best to not get close to any of us." …Um… "Which… just sounded like I was accusing you." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Can we restart the conversation?"

"Sure." I felt myself relax slightly. "If you tell me what prompted the observation."

"Simply me realizing that I think this is the first time either of us talked alone, and then I realized that isn't an unusual thing. Out of our group, you never talk to Eagler or Marcus unless you have to, you stick close to either Nicholas or Uther in meetings, and you never simply hang out with any of the group." ..Um… "Again, I don't mean to sound accusatory. It was just simple-"

"So, what brings you out here?" Subject change. Now. "The pretty moon?"

"Oh, I always take a walk to tire myself out." He smiled sheepishly. "The guest room I have is nice, but it's far too quiet. I keep panicking because I can't hear Eliwood, and I think something has happened, and it's just strange to not be able to fall asleep listening to Eleanor's heartbeat."

"You miss your home."

"Yes, very much." He sighed and looked up at the sky. It was really late. "I know what I'm doing is right. I know Eleanor understands. But it's hard to not miss them. I'm scared of missing some of Eliwood's 'firsts' as well. His first word, his first step."

"Not really something I can relate to." I shrugged awkwardly. "I do not mind kids, and I took care of some on the street, but I cannot say I ever wanted to experience the supposed joy of motherhood or anything." Honestly, the whole concept of pregnancy and childbirth just… made me feel icky. All those changes, all that stretching and ripping because something was growing inside you… I just could _not_ get why people romanticized it. Plus, there was a good chance of the woman dying. "But Nicky might. Urien might to a degree, but his son is older."

"Yes, that's true." He laughed a little, before snapping his fingers. "Ah, yes, there _is_ something I've been meaning to ask you."

"Oh?" I tilted my head curiously, noting how serious he looked. "What is it?"

"How do you feel about Uther?" …WHAT?! "You two are close, and when I ask him, he gets all closed lip."

"You are asking if I'm romantically interested?" I could only stare. Of all the things I had expected… "I figured you were going to ask about my fighting technique, or my days as an assassin, or something."

"Considering the harsh life you've had, I do not think I am _allowed_ to ask. I imagine there are many things you wish to keep secret until the end of your days." …Well, I was not going to deny _that_. "It also is wrong to consciously judge you. I cannot promise I will not unconsciously-"

"Elbert, you're already weirding me out." I smiled wryly. "So, uh… what was the question again?"

"How do you feel about Uther?" Okay, I had not misheard anything. "I apologize for asking, but he's my best friend."

"Look, big bad assassin Huntress lady is not-"

"Oh, no, I think you're good for him, actually." And that is the second time Elbert rendered me speechless. "You make him think, and you make him laugh. He relaxes around you." U-um… "So, I was wondering what you felt."

"He is a friend." That came out easily, but I found myself looking to the ground, as if I was lying, or not telling the whole truth. "He listens without judgment. It's easy to talk to him, because he knows things."

"Like Albert?"

"Yeah." My hands were shaking. "And that is… it…" The words felt clunky in my mouth, and I wondered why. But even as I wondered, I found myself afraid. I did not _want_ to know. Whatever the reason, I did not want the answer. "…Let that be it…"

"…My apologies." He had a gentle smile when I glanced up. "That was insensitive to ask, considering what little I do know about you and our lovely Albert who I am going to eviscerate." …That was not a sentence that should be said with any sort of smile, much less a cheerful one, but damn if it did not make me laugh. "That's if I can beat the others. I think everyone in the group will singing and dance as they kill him."

"Nursery rhymes are fun for that reason." As I laughed, I slowly relaxed again. He was letting the subject change. That was good. "Well, part of that reason. I like how creepy it sounds."

"It certainly adds a flair to the battlefield." I had a feeling it creeped him out, but he continued smiling. This was a person who would accept anyone, and do his best to make them feel better. "Now, to make up for digging into old scars, would you like some stories?"

"About?"

"Uther and me growing up." …I had to hear this. I _had_ to hear this. "Madelyn too. All three of us are childhood friends."

"Yes, please." I smiled at him. "We can get something to drink from the kitchens."

"Sounds good."

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. Bad injuries to my back resulted in permanent nerve damage or something, giving me a pins and needles feeling in two fingers of my right hand. While I'm adapting, it does cause problems with my grip. Speaking of problems… no, I'm not even going to think more on what Elbert said. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· _Uther, the heir to Ostia. He is INCREDIBLY INFURIATING and stupidly kind. Wields axes. Thankfully, his encounter with Albert this time turned out better than last time. He is very careful about my fears, and is just… very gentle in general with me. He also keeps his promises to me. I like that. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary. Hails from the Lorca tribe. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies. I think he might be falling for Madelyn, but it is difficult to say. At the least, he is very protective of her, and it is clear her being in danger is a great fear of his. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Maria, Ilian Knight. Though she had been fighting without a paycheck, she's cheerful about Nicky's offer of payment. Knows hand to hand combat. Fretter, but good at flying. Wields lances. Got a haircut thanks to Douglas, meaning her hair is short now. Seems to think Uther and I bicker like 'an old married couple'? Very good at knitting and sewing, and made me a scarf. I think she's planning on making accessories for the others? Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Frets over Hassar, and I think she might be falling for him. Is rather good at moving quietly, due to sneaking around her own castle, and is perhaps the bravest of us. Or the most foolish. I have no idea which one. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· ** _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He is definitely the type to keep walking forward, no matter what. He is very kind, almost too much so, and very accepting of people, careful to not tread on nerves. He, Uther, and Madelyn are childhood friends. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· _Marcus, knight of Pherae. Or is it butler? All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. He is no longer the oldest of us. He is cautious and wary by nature, a trait that makes him very valuable. He got yelled at by a three year old. A cavalier who specializes in lances. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

· _Eagler, knight of Caelin. While it is clear who is the knight and who is the noble, some of my observations make me think he and Madelyn share an almost sibling-like relation, though her spending time with Hassar makes it difficult to see if I'm right. I think he's utterly exasperated with all of us. A paladin with equal skill in swords and lances, though he is still obviously learning axes. Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

· _Nicky, Count Hanover. My dear cousin, who I grew up with. Was a 'young knight', meaning he was a prodigy in fighting, thanks to keen sight and intelligence, so much so that Etruria all but forced him to skip some years of training, becoming a full-fledged knight at only fourteen. Despite his cynical outlook, many knights in training, like Douglas, look up to him. Hates himself, but keeps sane by remembering that others love him. Had Wuotan as a confidant the past five years, which I think helped even out his rather deadly temper. Specializes in lances, like many Etrurian knights, and also trained in swords. Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

· _Yodel, acolyte. He has an excellent bedside manner to cooperative patients. He retains his no-nonsense demeanor though, even as a healer, and despite having no weapons training, I'm certain he still remembers how to 'fight dirty'. I'm willing to bet he could knock someone out with his staff. I'm going to ask if he can tend to the… bruise… on my neck. Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

· ** _Urien, Count Reglay. I know him mostly secondhand, as he and Nicky hung out more in a formal setting than a familiar one. Still, he's always been a crafty son of a bitch, and has always worked well with Nicky. A powerful mage like most of Reglay's leaders, and he has a son named Pent. I think his wife has already passed, though, so I worry for his kid. Silver hair, silver eyes, 24 years old._

* * *

Author's note: And thus we have a mage at last. Yay tactics. A couple of conversations that were overdue, Amanda getting a scarf like most thieves have (no, the color isn't coincidence; look at the color of Matthew's cloak), a reference to the title Douglas has in FE6…

Next Chapter – Royal Flush


	16. Chapter 16) Royal Flush

Chapter 16) Royal Flush

* * *

 _The adventures involved everything. Bandit fighting, damsel saving… really, if you looked at a typical fantasy story, they did everything but slew dragons. Lord Cedric and Lord Jason were the best of friends, the greatest of rivals. But, well, there was a single hiccup in their friendship._

 _The reason was as stereotypical as it got. A woman._

* * *

I had only been to this port once before, but it seemed the place had never changed. It still had the smell of fish, with a little bit of blood, and the crisp cool wind of the sea washing over everything. It was also completely packed.

We split up into groups to see what we could do in tracking people. I ended up paired with Elbert, and I _totally_ did not do that on purpose to avoid being alone with Uther. Nope, not one bit. After all, everything was completely and totally fine, and I was not afraid of something I did not even know and… and this was a degree of lying that even I was not comfortable with. Damn Elbert for putting the thought in my head!

"If glares could kill, I believe I would be dead over thirty times now," Elbert easily joked. I snagged his sleeve to avoid a pickpocket, and tossed the would-be-thief some coin. They were young, and might belong to an organization that would be angry if they were too short. "I truly do apologize for touching on such an old scar. It's clear the ache-"

"Shut up and keep walking," I grumbled, cutting him off. His easy acceptance was making me feel _bad_ about being mad. But at the same time… "We are looking for people who will take us sailing." I nudged him over to a rather boisterous tavern. "Head there."

"Why the tavern?"

"Do you not know your adventuring stories? The tavern is where you _always_ find what you are looking for." More seriously, it sounded like there were a lot of people there, increasing our chances.

The inside of the tavern was surprisingly warm. Cozy. It felt more like a home than a bar, really. It was filled with laughing people, with bright smiles.

"Well, hello~!" the bartender greeted. A woman with red hair tied in a ponytail, and a bright smile. "Come over here and sit!" She waved us to the bar, and I dragged Elbert after me when I noticed he was frozen in shock. Had he never been to a tavern before? "Everyone who comes in has to buy a drink. Rules of the establishment!"

"What good business you have," I laughed, letting myself be taken by the cheer. "Absinthe for me, rum for the friend." Elbert gave me an incredulous look. "You protesting the drink or drinking at this hour? If it is the latter, remain silent." He simply looked away. "There we go. How much?"

"Ten gold for the both of you~" She winked and went to work, and Elbert placed the gold on the bar, glancing at me worriedly. Oh, he was so out of his element. "So, what brings you around here?" She handed us the drinks, and took the gold with a giggle. "Cha-ching~"

"Our group is looking for ship." I sipped my drink, smiling at the burn. It had been a while since I had some alcohol. "You got a recommendation?"

"Depends." The woman leaned against the bar. "What's the destination?"

"The Nabata port."

"You want someone to take you to the desert?" The woman smiled slowly. "Then you're wanting a pirate." I saw Elbert choke on his drink, but the woman didn't seem to mind. "Talk to the one in the corner there." She jerked her thumb towards a man wearing a long purple coat, knocking back a mug of ale like it was nothing. "He's the best damn sailor around. Can even make it round the currents of Valor Isle."

"Thank you." I smiled politely, and finished off my drink. "And thank you for the drinks."

"Not a problem~" The woman laughed, and her smile warmed when I dropped a tip into her hand. "Ah, better deal with the other customers!" And we had to deal with a pirate.

I waited until Elbert was done with his drink, and then nudged him towards the corner the woman had indicated. Well, we had a lead, but could we do something with it? Pirates were notorious for many things, but I did not think that woman would have recommended him if he was a 'bad person' who followed the more negative stereotypes.

"Well, what's this?" The pirate noticed us first as we walked up. "A noble and a beauty?" he noted. His smile was mocking, and his eyes were sharp. This was a very intelligent man. It made me curious how he ended up as a pirate. "Not something you see everyday in this tavern."

"Ah, yes, my pardon," Elbert replied immediately. He bowed slightly. "You're the commander of the pirate armada, then?" …Elbert, that was just stupid.

"Well, that's a new one." The pirate laughed, but there was an edge to it. "Can't decide if I'm more annoyed or amused."

"If I insulted you, then I apologize. How might I address you?"

"It's _Captain_ , not commander. Captain Fargus of the Davros." He knocked back a pint. "But since you're not one of my mates, you call me by name. Simple." He shrugged, settling into his chair. "Now, what do you want?"

"We need to get to the port of Nabata."

"How much you willing to pay?"

"I am afraid I do not know the current rates." …Things like this reminded me that nobles were _stupid_ when it came to bargaining. Very. Stupid.

"Clearly you're a sheltered lord, and your friend here is from the streets." Fargus actually gave me a sympathetic smile. "Then I name the price. 100,000 gold." Thank you, Elbert. We probably could have gotten it for _much less if you had shut up_.

"Done." And Elbert was off, likely to inform the others. Um…

"Not even a token complaint?" Fargus sounded confused, and he looked it when I focused on him. "The hell do you need to get to Nabata for anyway?" he asked, looking right at me. "Assassins don't normally travel so openly with nobles." Of course he knew I was an assassin. We were of the same cloth. "What's going on?"

"We are hunting down some criminals who are building an army," I deadpanned. I was just annoyed now. "And now I have to go make sure he does not do something else stupid."

"…The same criminals who murdered a bunch of kids and girls on the pier?" Girls on the… ah, yes, many whores would hang out by the pier, making easy money from sailors. "You after them?"

"We got one of the leaders, and we are trying to figure out what the other is up to." I saw no point in lying right now. "So, if you do not mind, I need to-"

"Changed my mind." Huh? "Snag that boy and tell him I changed my mind. You lot win best three out of five at poker, and that'll cover it." Wait, what? "Go tell them. I'll set things up." Um… uh…

What just happened? Seriously, what in all the actual hells just happened?

* * *

So, I informed the others, and Uther and Elbert _immediately_ insisted Madelyn be the one to play, for some reason I thought I should get, but blanked on why.

"It really isn't that much money…" Nicky mumbled. We were in the tavern now, sitting as we watched Madelyn chat happily with the others at the poker table: Fargus, a waitress, and another sailor. Hassar and Eagler were behind her as her guards, just in case. The rest of us were scattered about the crowd that had gathered to watch. "I could have gotten it in two days, at most. Less if Maria would be willing to fly."

"Well, we have it as the back-up plan," Urien pointed out. He was frowning. "I have never heard of a pirate that refused gold, though." Same here. "Amanda, I don't believe I've said it, but it is good to see you alive and well."

"We shall not talk about what I had to do to secure such a fate," I joked, smiling wryly. His smile was kind, but I had a feeling he was mentally judging. I did not mind, and minded even less when I noticed Nicky frowning at Urien. "So, where are the others?"

"Yodel and Maria are chatting with the bartender, and I think about ways to treat arrow wounds." Ah, yes, they were at the bar. "Marcus, Elbert, and Uther are clustered on the other side of the table." Yes, and it looked like… "It's about to begin." Yes.

The cards were dealt out, in the 'Hold 'Em' pattern. Two cards in the hole, or in hand. Three cards dealt on the 'board', the flop, for community use. A fourth card for the group called the 'turn'. A fifth one for the river. Out of the seven, you picked your best five. You betted or folded after the flop, turn, or river.

Still, things did not look so good when Madelyn folded the first round. It went to the waitress, who giggled and clapped her hands in delight. Maybe I should have…

"Strange," Nicky murmured. I glanced at him curiously. "She had a good hand, one that even someone who knows nothing of poker would have known as a good one." Then why did she…? Oh, I think I got it. "She's making them underestimate her." It was easy. Poker was not something taught to Etrurian noblewomen, and many would assume that would be the case in other countries. Add in her cheerful demeanor… "Let's see if I'm right."

The cards were dealt again. The sailor and Fargus ended up folding, leaving only the waitress and Madelyn to battle for the win. Madelyn took it with four queens, two in hand and two on the board.

"Seems you were," I whispered. Madelyn was laughing, and giving the air of 'yay, lucky break~'. But I noticed that while Hassar looked startled, _Eagler_ did not. "Eagler knows exactly what she is doing." It made sense. He was her knight. But, honestly, I would have thought he would protest more.

The cards were dealt for the third round. This time, the waitress folded. The sailor, Fargus, and Madelyn held out until the end. But Madelyn took the prize with a full house of three jacks and two tens, the pair of jacks in her hand bringing her over.

"One more win, and she has it," Urien pointed out. The crowd around us was cheering and laughing, many rallying behind Madelyn thanks to her pretty smile and endearing 'innocence'. "But it only gets harder here." Poker was a game that relied as much on luck as it did skill. And there were only two games left to pull the one win we needed.

The fourth round began. Madelyn ended up folding, a little frown hinting that this was not a 'throw'. She genuinely had a bad hand, and I could see it in her eyes that she regretted throwing the first. But even as Fargus took the win, her eyes sharpened. She was not giving up.

All was silent for the last match. Fargus's terms were 'three out of five'. I had little reason to believe that he would not bend on it. So, we all held our breaths as the cards were dealt. My eyes noted the queen, jack, and ten of spades, and I knew the crowd had as well. The tension of the air was immense.

The river was played, and no one moved. No one was folding. This was it.

"I call," Madelyn declared, hiding the lower part of her face with her two cards, as if they were an elegant fan. She would not have looked out of place in a beautiful ballroom, surrounded by music and dancing. "Show me what you have?"

The waitress went first, showcasing a full house.

The sailor went second, giving us a four of a kind.

Fargus went third, and his smile told me his hand before he even showed the cards. Nine and eight of spades. Straight flush.

But Madelyn was undeterred. "Oh, dear," she murmured. "What lovely cards." Madelyn gave the room the most brilliant smile I had ever seen. I swore half the room fell in love with her right then. "But, not lovely enough." She laid her cards on the table, and I gaped at what I saw. Ace and King of spades. "In your honor, Captain, I hold a royal flush." She giggled, smiling. "Counting cards is so much fun." Counting…?

"…So, that was how she won those two matches," Urien murmured. He looked impressed. Actually, most of us did. "She was counting the cards, seeing what came up, and judging her odds. Is it common for Lycian noblewomen to be expert poker players?"

"No, but Mads's uncle taught her to help her with her math or something, I think," Uther explained, walking over. He was snickering. I found myself smiling at his smile, and could not bring myself to wonder why. "It helps that Fargus was throwing matches too." He what? "Elbert and I were watching for cheating. He could have won the second hand, but chose to toss it in." …He was using this as an excuse. He just wanted to help. "We got real lucky." Yes, we did. "Here's hoping no one gets seasick!"

This was going to be one hell of a journey.

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me, Thief/Assassin. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. Bad injuries to my back resulted in permanent nerve damage or something, giving me a pins and needles feeling in two fingers of my right hand. While I'm adapting, it does cause problems with my grip. Speaking of problems… Elbert's lovely words have created some. Ugh… Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia, Lord. He is INCREDIBLY INFURIATING and stupidly kind. Wields axes. Thankfully, his encounter with Albert this time turned out better than last time. He is very careful about my fears, and is just… very gentle in general with me. He also keeps his promises to me. I like that. I like his smile too. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary, Bow Knight(?). Hails from the Lorca tribe. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies. I think he might be falling for Madelyn, but it is difficult to say. At the least, he is very protective of her, and it is clear her being in danger is a great fear of his. He… doesn't seem to be looking forward to being on a boat. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Maria, Ilian Knight, Pegasus Knight. Though she had been fighting without a paycheck, she's cheerful about Nicky's offer of payment. Knows hand to hand combat. Fretter, but good at flying. Wields lances. Got a haircut thanks to Douglas, meaning her hair is short now. Seems to think Uther and I bicker like 'an old married couple'? Very good at knitting and sewing, and made me a scarf. I think she's planning on making accessories for the others? She's also skilled in field medicine, and Yodel bought her kit in the market before we left. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· ** _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Frets over Hassar, and I think she might be falling for him. Is rather good at moving quietly, due to sneaking around her own castle, and is perhaps the bravest of us. Or the most foolish. I have no idea which one. An expert poker player, holy hell. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· ** _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae, Cavalier. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He is definitely the type to keep walking forward, no matter what. He is very kind, almost too much so, and very accepting of people, careful to not tread on nerves. That said, he's sometimes a giant idiot. He, Uther, and Madelyn are childhood friends. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· _Marcus, knight of Pherae, Cavalier. Or is it butler? All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. He is no longer the oldest of us. He is cautious and wary by nature, a trait that makes him very valuable. He got yelled at by a three year old. Specializes in lances. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

· ** _Eagler, knight of Caelin, Paladin. While it is clear who is the knight and who is the noble, some of my observations make me think he and Madelyn share an almost sibling-like relation, though her spending time with Hassar makes it difficult to see if I'm right. I think he's utterly exasperated with all of us. Equal skill in swords and lances, though he is still obviously learning axes. Seems to enjoy watching his lady beat people at poker, given his proud little smile. Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

· _Nicky, Count Hanover, Paladin. My dear cousin, who I grew up with. Was a 'young knight', meaning he was a prodigy in fighting, thanks to keen sight and intelligence, so much so that Etruria all but forced him to skip some years of training, becoming a full-fledged knight at only fourteen. Hates himself, but keeps sane by remembering that others love him. Had Wuotan as a confidant the past five years, which I think helped even out his rather deadly temper. Specializes in lances, like many Etrurian knights, and also trained in swords. Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

· ** _Yodel, Priest. He has an excellent bedside manner to cooperative patients. He retains his no-nonsense demeanor though, even as a healer, and despite having no weapons training, I'm certain he still remembers how to 'fight dirty'. I'm willing to bet he could knock someone out with his staff. He's been making seasick remedies. I think we might need them. Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

· ** _Urien, Count Reglay, Sage._

 _I know him mostly secondhand, as he and Nicky hung out more in a formal setting than a familiar one. Still, he's always been a crafty son of a bitch, and has always worked well with Nicky. He's a little judgy, but he has the good tact to keep the thoughts in his head instead of voicing them. A powerful mage like most of Reglay's leaders, and he has a son named Pent. I think his wife has already passed, though, so I worry for his kid. Silver hair, silver eyes, 24 years old._

* * *

Author's note: I mentioned in Tactician's Testimony that Fargus escorted another group of crazy nobles, and it was _this_ group of crazy nobles. The conversation Fargus and Elbert have purposely mirrors the one he and Eliwood have. And a little callback to Katri not thinking much about the amount via Nicholas. The poker game played is, basically, Texas Hold 'Em. It's fun.

Next Chapter – On the Waves


	17. Chapter 17) On the Waves

Chapter 17) On the Waves

* * *

 _Now, if this was a typical bard story, then the woman would have been the seducer trying to drive two people apart. Well, that was not the case at all. Really, the woman, Lady Mariana, was as much a victim as the other two. You could not really help who you fell in love with, after all, even if it was a scandal as falling in love with your betrothed's brother._

 _Because, really, that is what happened. She was betrothed to Lord Jason, but it was Lord Cedric she loved. And, to the pain of all in love, Lord Cedric returned those feelings… and Lord Jason was quite in love with her too._

* * *

Sailing was interesting for the first couple of hours. There was something just _strange_ about being on a boat, with nothing but the sea surrounding you. After those first two hours, though, I got _really_ tired of it.

"You look like you've taken a big bite of the sea, and it's not gone down well." I glanced up to see Fargus grinning down at me. "Though, it's going down better than some of your companions," he continued easily. "How are the landlubbers?"

"I will forever maintain that is the best word," I joked. Still, I shook my head, and refused to stand up. I was sitting on the decks, back against the 'wall' of the deck, and I was not moving. "They are as they have been. Seasick." Hassar was the worst of the three, but Eagler and Elbert were also badly seasick. "Maria went into the air a while ago."

"Aye, I saw." She often went flying, supposedly to keep her pegasus from feeling cooped up, but I thought it might be to reduce her chances of being seasick too. "Are the ones tending to the sick all right? Sick of it yet?"

"Yodel points out that it is kind of his _job_ to tend to the ill." Elbert had Marcus playing nursemaid, with Uther helping out where possible. Madelyn tended to Hassar primarily, and Eagler secondary. Maria tended to _Eagler_ primarily, and Hassar secondary. The 'official' explanation was that Hassar needed more help, and Eagler just slept a lot, but I do not know… "Urien helps him when his stomach gets overwhelmed, or when he needs to sleep."

"Makes sense." He dropped something into my lap. I realized it was, for some reason, an orange. "Eat some of that. Scurvy isn't a fun disease."

"Surely, I cannot gain it from just being on a ship for a couple of days."

"Lass, it's caused by nutritional defect." …Words I never expected to hear from a pirate. "I read. Some. I listen mostly. But, point is, it can be prevented with simply eating things like oranges and lemon juice." He shrugged. "I'm the captain, which means it's my job to make sure everyone on board doesn't get sick."

"I suppose that _would_ be bad."

"Closed quarters, not a doctor for days typically, it's more than a suppose. One illness can wipe out a crew faster than fire. You can jump ship if there's a fire."

"I see." Deciding to take the kindness for what it was, I started peeling the orange, focusing on getting the skin off in one piece. "So, why is it that we do not take the most 'direct' route as the maps say?"

"Currents and wind." He pointed to something on the horizon, but I was _not_ standing up unless I had to. "The currents for the most direct route actually run from Nabata to Etruria, not the other way around." He pointed up to the sails, flapping in the wind. "And the wind is blowing this way. We're not a merchant ship. We don't have little kids rowing the boats here like they do." That… that was not a mental image I wanted or needed.

But, at the same time, I was morbirdly curious. "Rowers?"

"The ship is called a galley, recently invented. Six years ago?"

"Oh, I know what you are talking about. The Merchants' Guild here in Etruria built it." It had been… rather impressive, actually. "I rode on the maiden voyage."

He now had the most wry and bitter smile. "Merchants love them because they're not dependent on the wind for schedules." He leaned against the edge, back to the ocean. "So, the rowers row the big ship, all day long, in the hold of the ship." Was that not one of the more stifling parts of the… ship…? Oh. Oh, no. "When they collapse, most merchants just throw them overboard."

"Just to drown?"

"Yeah. Less mouths to feed, easy to explain away." He sighed. "If I see it, I try to catch them, but more often than not, I'm too late." He smiled wryly. "Still like it? I'm not even at the worst part."

"I lived on the streets. I can guess." Children were easy to trick, and even easier to get rid of. "You try to save them?"

"Aye. Just something in my nature. If someone is bleeding or drowning, I go to help. Simple." Simple, huh?

"That does remind me of something I wanted to ask." I looked up at him. "Did you rig the final hand?" The more I thought about it, the more incredulous I got that it was just due to luck. The highest ranked hands all appearing? Really? "I already know you threw the second hand."

"Well, I couldn't have rigged it if she weren't already a skilled player." He grinned. "But yeah, I did. Don't tell her, though. She's all excited about pulling out a royal flush."

"Of course." A yawn suddenly cut me off, and I smiled sheepishly. "My apologies, but it seems I am in need of a nap."

"Sleep well, lass." Well, here was hoping. I could not get used to this rocking.

* * *

I woke with a groan, wondering why the boat was rocking so much. This was worse than usual. Way worse. Ugh, I just wanted to go back to bed. Why was the boat rocking?

"Lady Amanda!" I blinked slowly as Marcus suddenly burst into my room. "Lady Amanda, you're needed up on deck," he explained. He looked… panicked. That seemed strange. Why was he panicking? "We're under attack." Oh, that made… HOLD ON A MOMENT!

"From who?!" I yelped, wide awake now. I rolled onto my feet, running a hand through my hair to keep it from getting tangled in my face. "Pirates?"

"Navy." Oh. Hell. "Deck. I _must_ be with Lord Elbert." Our three seasick people were going to need a lot of tending to right now…

"I'm on it. Thanks." I bolted out the door past him, and took the steps up to the deck three at a time.

When I got on there, I could only stare. It was not just a handful of ships. It looked like they had brought half the force, and they were all aimed at us. I hated being right. I really hated being right.

"I caught sight of them as I was flying," Maria said when she saw me walk up. Me, her, Uther, Nicky, and Urien. We were the only ones of our group out, as the priates rushed about, preparing for a fight or flight. I figured Madelyn and Yodel were with Hassar, Elbert, and Eagler. "There's a _looooot_." Yeah, I think I could see that without a pegasus. "Holy damn."

"How is it that they can move?" Uther asked. His eyes were wide, and I saw his hands shaking as he crossed his arms. "Politically, I mean. Surely Mordred did not…"

"The Naval Commander moves on the king's orders, but when we do not have a king, he operates on his own," Nicky explained. He looked more resigned than anything right now, and that just annoyed me. "Mordred is not king. He is the Crown Prince officially, King Presumptive. There is no king of Etrura. The Commander is abusing his power."

"And who _is_ the commander?"

"No clue. The old one died at sea a few months ago." That seemed… strangely convenient. "Urien?"

"Irving of House Tidach," Urien answered without even a pause to think. I tried to think of the name, and house, and came up with a weak-willed bully of a boy of a somewhat powerful house who had been… "Albert's best friend, if the bastard has anything remotely like a friend."

"Well, that explains why they're coming after us then," Nicky sighed. He gave Urien a look. "Think you could have mentioned this sooner?"

"Thought you knew."

"I have a baby girl. You think I was paying attention to the navy?"

"Well, you do normally pay attention to _everything_."

"Well, sorry for being distracted by my adorable baby girl and taking care of my recovering wife."

"Is this really the time to be arguing, you two?" I snapped. Anger was a _great_ emotion. It helped you think. "I think all three of us are a little guilty anyway." After all, we never even pointed out the possibility. "We need a plan." Somehow.

"The plan is to tell death that he's not taking any of us today," Fargus grumbled, coming to join us. He glowered at the ships. "Etrurians like throwing fireballs around, right?" Uh…

"Yes, that is normal tactics for naval fights," Urien answered with a small sigh. His fists clenched, and I realized he likely had _former_ _students_ on those ships. "Etruria has always been a country of magic more than anything."

"Right, got a plan." Oh, I was glad someone did. "Need one thing." He pointed up to one of the giant sails of the ship. "Need someone to climb up there to secure the lines, and it can't be one of my boys. I need them on the cannons."

"Well, if it is climbing, I suppose I am not too bad," I replied slowly. Even with the words, I eyed the mast dubiously. "Though, is there a reason we cannot send Maria up?" I pointed to her for emphasis, smiling a little when she nodded.

"I'll need her to give me some aerials so I can make sure we're sailing in the right direction," Fargus answered easily. He gave us a droll look. "Unless you want us to sail right into a whirlpool or a reef." Whirlpool? "There's a maelstrom not too far away. Be _real_ dangerous for us to get caught in it."

"Would we sink?"

"Not directly. Can't really suck us in, but it _can_ cause some damage. Like making us sitting targets or send us crashing into rocks." Ah. "So, need her up, which means I need a climber."

"Fine…" Sighing, I went to the mast. I had volunteered. I might as well follow through.

Climbing a mast was stupid difficult and I hated every bit of it. I might have had a better time if my hand was perfectly healed, but… it was not. It made judging my grip hard. But I did eventually make it all the way up. When I got there, I had a bit of a disorienting view of everything. There was something very weird with seeing a naval battle anyway, especially from up high. As I tried to focus, cannons fired below me, and Etruria retaliated with magic. A bolting went right past my ear before I snapped myself out of my daze and went to work.

I assumed 'securing the sails' meant tightening the knots, and retying them if necessary, and so went about doing that. Since no one screamed at me, it seemed to be what Fargus had needed. I just hoped these knots were good ones? I tried to mimic the ones I saw already tied, but hell if I knew how to do anything on a ship.

I just managed to tie off the last one when another bolting went by my face. I instinctively jerked back, which was _not_ advised when you were up high on a narrow… something. I did not even have time to think of a complaint as I fell, squeezing my eyes shut so that I did not have to watch the sky grow further away.

A grunt told me I landed _on_ someone, though, and when I opened my eyes, I realized it was Uther. "I never want to fight on sea again," he grumbled. I could really only nod in reply. "You okay?" I nodded again, a little disoriented once more. "Oh, good, then… WHOA!" The boat rocked and both of us were sent sliding into the 'wall' of the deck again. "Ugh…"

"Might be a good idea to stick to a corner," Nicky called. He actually _was_ in a corner, the one farthest from the Etrurians, and we both crawled over there to get out of the way. "Urien is assisting the cannons." Yes, he was, and I could see the pain in his eyes even from here. "Brace."

I did not have the time to do so, but Uther did, so instead, I shifted until I was sitting in between the him and Nicky, flinching as the boat continued to rock and twist. There was a distinct smell of smoke on the air, and it made me nauseous. Fire and cannons… I would never be able to hear thunder in the same way again. There was so much thunder and fire, and the cannons were loud…

I could not even think of a nursery rhyme to whisper through all of this. I really could only stare, helpless in this fight. Perhaps I could have done something if we were boarded, but Fargus was playing keep away with Maria relaying what she saw, and besides, Etrurians did not 'board' enemy boats. They simply sunk them from afar.

Loud screams, loud enough to be heard even over all the noise, startled me, and I could only watch as one Etrurian ship suddenly was pulled from the others, drawn into a swirling current. Fargus… had led the navy _into_ the whirlpool. Right as they were sending out a wave of fire magic.

We sailed away, safely out of reach, as the fire magic flew, crashing into the navy ships. A few stray bits came out way, but it was mostly concentrated all right there. I could see some try to escape, but their ships were also caught in the currents.

Fargus used his knowledge of the water to make the navy destroy itself. I could only watch in awed horror, and I knew the others were the same. Even as I stood up and went over to the opposite railing, Nicky coming me, I could only stare. This was…

"They're going to say this was part of the Western Isle campaign," Nicky whispered. There was something so _eerie_ about flames on the water. "They'd never admit to being out without orders. Not for a death toll like this. This… has to be the most deaths the navy has suffered in a long, long while." Holy… "There are no survivors." I did not even need to see the bodies to know that. A whirlpool might not be all that dangerous to a ship, but a person? Oh, I did not even need to imagine what it did to a person.

"Well, it only really worked because I know the waters better than them," Fargus noted, coming to stand with us. Though we 'won', he was grim-faced. "I like a good fight, but this leaves a sour taste in my mouth. It's one thing to kill people following orders, but…"

"These people thought they were likely chasing after kidnappers, murderers, or whatever pirate stereotype Irving used to get so many moving." I did wonder what story it was. Etrurians always had a lie ready to 'explain' things. "We went a ways out, yes? If you will forgive the subject change."

"I welcome it." I think we all did. "Yeah, you'll be stuck on here a day or two more. We're a little close to the Western Isles." Yeah… "If you lot need something to do, I do have some chores that need to be done. Some of mine got wounded. Need to borrow your healers."

"Of course. Thank you."

* * *

Fargus's saving the day led to us going a bit off course, meaning that we were actually much closer to one of the Western Isles than expected. Fibernia, I think? We were going to stop in a city there briefly for supplies and a quick check of the ship. None but the pirates were even going to leave the ship.

"So, that's the Western Isles?" Startled, I whirled, and found Uther smiling not too far away. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," he murmured. He came to stand next to me, looking out on the horizon. You could see the Isles from here. "Or one of the Isles, anyway."

"The largest of them," I answered. That was about all I knew about them, though. There were three main islands, Fibernia was the largest, and the place was home to Durban, the Berserker Hero. You just were not _taught_ anything more, because why would Etrurians teach _anything_ about 'uncivilized' countries, right? "I think it is rich in minerals."

"Yeah, it is. I asked Urien about it. He says that's why Eturia wants it. Mining is profitable."

"Yeah…" Unable to keep the conversation going, we fell silent. The wind blew, tugging at our head and clothes, but our gaze remained fixed ahead, at the island slowly drawing closer and closer.

I could almost pick out specific colors when he broke the silence. "I feel like we're having to sacrifice them to protect the continent," he whispered. I glanced up, curious, but he still looked straight ahead. "Those losses will be explained as the 'Western Isle Campaign', feeding a fervor to invade and colonize it. That's what Nicholas said." Ah… "And we will likely never able to tell the truth of the matter. There's too much involved. The truth would strain things…"

"And with the straining, other things that were tolerable suddenly do not become so." Then we have a war, which would be _exactly_ what… "A war would lead to a lot of morphs." A war would destroy the continent. It would devastate entire generations…

"So, we must keep silent, even though the lie will be used as a justification for continuing on with this." Yes… "I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing to me for?"

"I am… no longer certain if we will be able to bring these people in, Amanda." …Oh, that is right. He _had_ promised… "This is far beyond anything I could have ever imagined." That was true. When this all started, we thought it was simply a serial murderer. Now, though… "So, I'm sorry. I'm no longer sure if I can keep up my end of the bargain."

"We kill Albert, his main accomplice, and keep the morphs from destroying everything, and I shall consider it upheld." Still, I could not help but smile softly. He… had truly been worried, huh? "Honestly, with everything going on, I almost forgot how all this started."

"The crimes, or you getting involved?" He tapped the scars on his face for good measure, and I just laughed. "Both?"

"Both." It really had not been all that long, had it? It felt like forever, though. "Still, those did heal more or less nicely." Hesitantly, I reached up to touch them, my hand hovering awkwardly over his face. "Um…"

"…Go ahead." He closed his eyes, and I gently ran my fingers over the scars, tip t tip, remembering how I had cut them in the first place. They were smooth, just barely different from the rest of his face. He had a good healer, to patch them up so neatly. I knew how badly a face could scar. You saw it all the time on the streets. "Feel weird?"

"Not to me." No, to me, there was nothing weird about them. "I imagine they feel weird to you, of course. Did your parents freak out?"

"Well, wouldn't anyone if someone came up to them with a bleeding face?" Ha… not really. But he had kind parents, even if he did not get along well with his father. "I lied and told them I didn't see the person. Elbert played along, said it was a guy."

"You two are ridiculous." I finally brought my hand down, and smiled when he opened his eyes. He blinked slowly, as if dazzled by something. "Something wrong?"

"No, not at all." He smiled back warmly. "I just noticed that your smiles are happier." I… suppose they were. "I guess reuniting with family can do that?"

"Especially when you have good friends with you." And besides… "Having something other than survival to focus on is enough to give you more of a range of emotions, I think." When you had to do anything to survive, you shut down a lot of things. The ability to express yourself freely was a luxury.

"I suppose." His smile somehow grew warmer and brighter, as comforting as the sunshine after a storm. "Still, glad you're sticking around for all this craziness."

"I think I would worry too much over everyone if I left." I tilted my head back to give a 'lofty' feel. "Besides, as I told you, it is bad for business to go back on bargains."

"True, true!" He snickered, and we fell silent again. But I did not mind. Instead, I found myself studying his profile, as the Western Isles slowly drew closer.

…I had experienced feelings like this before. These warm, nervous feelings. I knew why they made me afraid. In the past, I had been betrothed to Albert, and I had been _terrified_ of what might happen to me if he found out I had these feelings for someone other than him.

I… was infatuated… no, that was not strong enough. Infatuation would not cause so much fear. At some point in this mess, I had fallen in love with Uther. Or, perhaps more accurately, I was _falling_ , and I was not sure if I could catch myself before it was too late.

And everything about the feeling was absolutely terrifying.

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me, Thief/Assassin. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. Bad injuries to my back resulted in permanent nerve damage or something, giving me a pins and needles feeling in two fingers of my right hand. While I'm adapting, it does cause problems with my grip. Speaking of problems… I have an answer for why Elbert's words shook me. I… am falling for Uther. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia, Lord. He is INCREDIBLY INFURIATING and stupidly kind. Wields axes. Thankfully, his encounter with Albert this time turned out better than last time. He is very careful about my fears, and is just… very gentle in general with me. He also keeps his promises to me, distressed when it seems like he might not be able to. He's upset that we must sacrifice the few for the many, even if it logically makes sense. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary, Bow Knight(?). Hails from the Lorca tribe. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies. I think he might be falling for Madelyn, but it is difficult to say. At the least, he is very protective of her, and it is clear her being in danger is a great fear of his. It's quickly become clear why he was nervy about being on a boat. He gets horribly seasick. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Maria, Ilian Knight, Pegasus Knight. Though she had been fighting without a paycheck, she's cheerful about Nicky's offer of payment. Knows hand to hand combat. Fretter, but good at flying. Wields lances. Got a haircut thanks to Douglas, meaning her hair is short now. Seems to think Uther and I bicker like 'an old married couple'? Very good at knitting and sewing, and made me a scarf. I think she's planning on making accessories for the others? She's also skilled in field medicine, and Yodel bought her kit in the market before we left. Good thing, since she was stuck helping with the sick people. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· ** _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Frets over Hassar, and I think she might be falling for him. Is rather good at moving quietly, due to sneaking around her own castle, and is perhaps the bravest of us. Or the most foolish. I have no idea which one. An expert poker player, holy hell, but maybe not quite as skilled as I originally assumed. Helped Yodel take care of the landlubbers. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· ** _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae, Cavalier. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He is definitely the type to keep walking forward, no matter what. He is very kind, almost too much so, and very accepting of people, careful to not tread on nerves. That said, he's sometimes a giant idiot. He, Uther, and Madelyn are childhood friends. Gets seasick. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Marcus, knight of Pherae, Cavalier. Or is it butler? He's certainly very good at taking care of people. All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. He is cautious and wary by nature, a trait that makes him very valuable. Specializes in lances. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

· ** _Eagler, knight of Caelin, Paladin. While it is clear who is the knight and who is the noble, some of my observations make me think he and Madelyn share an almost sibling-like relation, though her spending time with Hassar makes it difficult to see if I'm right. I think he's utterly exasperated with all of us. Equal skill in swords and lances, though he is still obviously learning axes. Seems to enjoy watching his lady beat people at poker, given his proud little smile. Gets seasick. Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

· ** _Nicky, Count Hanover, Paladin. My dear cousin, who I grew up with. Was a 'young knight', becoming a full-fledged knight at only fourteen. Hates himself, but keeps sane by remembering that others love him. Had Wuotan as a confidant the past five years, which I think helped even out his rather deadly temper. Specializes in lances and also trained in swords. Worries about how this recent 'victory' will be used to justify the colonization of the Isles. Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

· ** _Yodel, Priest. He has an excellent bedside manner to cooperative patients. He retains his no-nonsense demeanor though, even as a healer, and despite having no weapons training, I'm certain he still remembers how to 'fight dirty'. I'm willing to bet he could knock someone out with his staff. Even with the seasickness remedies he made, he's still stuck tending to our three landlubbers. Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

· ** _Urien, Count Reglay, Sage. I know him mostly secondhand, as he and Nicky hung out more in a formal setting than a familiar one. He's a little judgy, but he has the good tact to keep the thoughts in his head instead of voicing them. A powerful mage like most of Reglay's leaders, and he has a son named Pent. Back-up healer for Yodel. Silver hair, silver eyes, 24 years old._

* * *

Author's Note: Katri mentions in Chapter 17x that Fargus was best known for dealing 'the worst defeat the navy experienced in the 'Western Isles Campaign'. Well, here's how he did it, and her statement reflects how the incident is publicaly seen. Whirlpools can be deadly, but, from my understanding, there's virtually no records of a large ship (such as a pirate ship) actually being sucked down, even by a maelstrom (particularly strong whirlpools), despite what popular culture really likes to imply. The talk about the galleys is based off of the Getiz-Fiora B support. Fargus mentioning he goes around helping the wounded is a reference to how he met Dart.

Next Chapter – Desert Sands


	18. Chapter 18) Desert Sands

Chapter 18) Desert Sands

* * *

 _It caused a strain in all of the friendships involved. Lord Cedric tried to distance himself, but because of duties, found that difficult. For similar reasons, Lady Mariana was also unable to avoid him. Lord Jason, of course, was heartbroken, because it seemed no matter what option there was, it would end in heartbreak._

 _Then, of course, Lord Jason decided the heartbreak would be his. He broke off the engagement, to great scandal, and urged Lord Cedric and Lady Mariana to marry instead. The court rebelled, but he held firm, and eventually, Lord Cedric and Lady Mariana agreed, with bitter tears of happiness._

* * *

The port city of Nabata, the _only_ one I knew of really, was a strangely lively place. It was an oasis town, filled with enthusiastic treasure hunters, merchants, and bright, bright colors. Bright, beautiful, pastel colors. How beautiful…

"You lot sure you'll be okay?" Fargus asked. Though most of the group had dispersed, Uther and I lingered behind to talk to Fargus. "Those people chasing us meant business." A very, very worried Fargus. He had such a soft heart, for a pirate.

"Well, it's hard to say whether we will be or won't be, but we must continue on," Uther replied. His smile was kind, but that just highlighted the refusal in his words. "I cannot thank you enough for putting up with us crazy nobles, and our mounts, for so long."

"Bah, it was a fun challenge, and I made you all work for it." That he did. I had blisters even now. "Stay safe. I want to hear about you lot making it home."

"We'll do our best. Safe winds to you, Fargus."

"Safe travels to you." We waved goodbye and left Fargus on the docks. When I glanced back, I could see him watching us with worried eyes. If he did not have a crew to take care of, I was almost certain he would have come with us. But he was a leader, and one who could not leave his people, so he had to simply hope we were okay. There was something comforting in that.

But now, it was back to business. We had to gather information, and had split into groups to do so. Uther and I were going into the market to listen to the gossip. At least, that was the plan. For some reason, Uther kept getting distracted by all the pretty clothes.

"Here, try this on," Uther suggested, holding up a dress. I gave him a dubious look. "Come on; I think it will look nice on you." He leaned in a little to whisper in my ear. "It will also give me a good excuse to talk to the merchant. They're more amicable to _paying_ customers." Oh, _that_ was what was going on.

"Then why am _I_ the bait?" I sighed. Still, I took the dress and smiled at a little girl coming to check on us. "Hey, is there a place where I can try this on?"

"Over here!" the girl chirped, beaming at me. "Follow, follow!" She skipped along, and I obediently went with her, noting Uther chatting with the owner of the place as we left. "Here, here!" The girl pulled aside a small curtain behind everything to reveal a little room with a mirror. "Do you need help?"

"Maybe with these ribbons?" I frowned over them, but the girl giggled. "Do you mind?"

"Nope!" She came in after me, tugging the curtain shut and checking to make sure it was secured. "Here! I'll show you how they go!"

"Thank you, little one." I changed out of my clothes and slipped on the dress. It was deceptively light and cool, and I noticed it… actually did look very nice on me. Much better, in fact, than the gowns I wore as a noblewoman. "Oh, wow…"

"You're even prettier now!" The girl laughed as she showed me how to adjust the ribbons on the hem and skirt to make it fit me perfectly, as well as how to tie the one around the waist. "These are to make sure your skirts don't go flying up when the wind gusts."

"That would be very bad." I dragged my thoughts away from my reflection and looked at the girl. "Oh, hey, little one, did you hear about that expedition?"

"Which one?" She actually stuck her tongue out a little as she concentrated on tying my waist ribbon. "Well, I suppose it doesn't matter. They all die." That was _way_ too cheerful. "These Bernese people come in, make trouble, and then go into the desert for something, and get swallowed up by the dragons."

"The dragons?"

"Yeah, the dragons that bring the sandstorms." Oh, was that their explanation for sandstorms? That was… really cool, actually. "Dragons ran to the desert during the Scouring. That's what the legends say. And now they eat anyone who try to invade their lands."

"Do you know what they are looking for?"

"Nope. They were too busy turning their noses up to talk to us." She jumped back, clapping her hands in delight. "Done~!" She pulled the curtain open, and snagged my hand. "Come on, come one!" …This little girl was strong. She nearly took me completely off my feet as she dragged me all the way back to the counter, where Uther and the merchant were chatting over something. "We're back!" Both of them looked to me, as the little girl let go of my hand and gestured grandly at me instead. "Tada~"

I could tell Uther was _about_ to say something. His mouth opened and everything, but then he just stopped and stared. And then _kept_ staring for a very, very long moment. I felt horribly self-conscious as he continued to just… stare.

"Sir, this is where you compliment the pretty lady," the merchant prompted, smile teasing as his eyes danced. "Admiring is nice, but she is clearly waiting for you to say something." Y-yes, well… um… "Say something to make her feel as if she is the most sublime being." Um…

"Yeah, I am _nowhere_ near good enough with words for that," Uther finally replied. His smile was warm, though. "It suits you, though. I thought a painting had come to life."

"Close enough." The merchant was having far too much fun on our account. "If I might suggest a headband?"

"Yeah, sounds good." Uther! "But, ah… I do have a budget, so I can't go too crazy. She'd kill me."

"As a lady should." …I was just going to smile and nod. "Now, here, we can add this to the cloaks you requested…"

* * *

The cloaks, apparently, were for protecting us from the sun, since the normal sun lotion was often not enough, especially for paler outsiders. For the sand, however, there was no protection from and, _by all that is holy, I hated fucking sand so much_. It got everywhere! Ugh, I needed a bath so badly.

"Horses and sand do not mix," I heard Marcus grumble. A quick glance back proved that he was having trouble with his horse. Again. "At least, non-Sacaean horses and sand don't mix."

"Sacaean horses don't like the sand much better," Hassar countered. That said, he was having significantly less difficulties, so much so that Madelyn was actually with Eagler helping him. And I noticed Hassar's gaze frequently turn to her. "I think Yodel, Urien, and Maria are the only ones not having troubles."

"No, Maria is having trouble too," Maria groaned, swooping down. It was soon obvious what she meant. Her pegasus was clearly not having the best of times. "Pegasi are adapted to the _cold_ , as am I. Can someone carry me? I feel like I'm about to faint."

"Get on my horse. I'm not sure about your pegasus."

"Water, and someone female leading."

"I'll do it!" Madelyn volunteered, making her way forward to take the pegasus's reigns. Maria all but fell out of the saddle in an attempt to dismount, and Hassar easily put her on his horse. "Aw, poor dears… how are we on water?"

"We're doing fine, since we took the warnings of the locals seriously," Nicky commented. He, on the surface, seemed just fine, but I could see him flinch when sand blew up in his face. "Yodel? How good are healing staves for heat induced illnesses?"

"Well, they aren't good for sun poisoning," Yodel answered easily. He was all but strolling along, as if he were just in some gardens. Was that a magic thing? I was _good_ at keeping light on my feet and still had troubles. "It can ease the pain of burns, but sun poisoning, not so much. Still, if someone gets heatstroke, it's _very_ good for that, and I have quite a few charges."

"Oh, good, so if someone drops, it's not necessarily an automatic drop dead." Good… "Where's Urien?"

"Treasure hunting." Of course he was. "I think he found another tome."

"Urien, drop it, we don't have room!"

"But it's a bolting tome!" I heard Urien immediately protest. It took quite a bit of looking around before I found him crouched by some bones. "Bolting, Nicholas! They're rare!" Oh dear.

"Days like this remind me that we are all young adults," Elbert noted absently. He, Uther, and I were at the front of the group, doing our best to not get us horribly, horribly lost. The locals had been kind enough to give us a map of where they had found the remains of the other expeditions, so we were heading that way to see if we could find more clues. "Also, Amanda, did I mention the headband looks nice on you?"

"You did," I replied, reaching up to touch it self-consciously. I… really did like it. I had not worn something like this for a long while, or so it felt. "Because you were grinning like a maniac when Uther explained how I got it."

"Of course I did!" He was back to grinning too. "Oh, Uther, you are just adorable sometimes." Um…

"Elbert, if you don't shut up, I'm telling Eleanora about the tavern incident," Uther grumbled. He looked a little annoyed by something, but whatever it was, it flew over my head. "The third one." …How many did they have?!

"I'll be shutting up now." But that did not stop him from grinning, and I could tell that annoyed Uther.

Rolling my eyes, I chose not to comment, and instead glanced back to check on everyone again. Eagler was now helping Marcus with his horse, the two chatting happily over something. Yodel was helping Urien dig things up. Oh, dear.

Something glinted, catching my eye, and I crouched down to dig whatever it was up. …And I had no idea _what_ it was. I almost called it a 'knife', except it was circular. It was a circular blade. What the…?

"Find something interesting?" I nearly yelped when Urien suddenly appeared in front of me. "Well?" he asked, practically bouncing on his toes. It was like he was a little kid again. "Did you?"

"Yeah, sure?" I replied, holding it up. Urien immediately frowned, eyes narrowed. "It is quite the weird thing, but hey, weird can be interesting, yes?"

"Yes, indeed, especially because there is some sort of power in it." Power? "It is not a 'magic' weapon, like a runesword or lightbrand, but there is still…" He hummed a little in though. "How strange." Yes, very strange again. "Can I have it?"

"No." I hooked it on my belt, laughing at his pout. "You have too much anyway."

"But they're interesting!" He sighed mournfully. "None of you appreciate good research. I'm going to borrow Nicholas's saddlebags."

"Good luck with that?" I did not even need to watch to know that an argument was going to erupt, so instead, I looked ahead, curious if we were about to run into anything.

To my surprise, I soon discovered we were. Something fluttered in the wind, and I focused my attention there, eyes narrowed as I realized there were a group of people, with long raven hair fluttering in the wind, dragging a young girl with purple hair and purple robes behind them, completely uncaring of what injuries she picked up.

I think we found _something_.

"Guys?" I called. All eyes turned to me, and I pointed ahead. They knew what needed to be done instantly. "Let us go!"

We charged forward, as best as we could with the sand. Urien met them first, followed by Maria. I was the third, and I just started killing as soon as I got them.

"Jack, be nimble, Jack, be quick~" I sang as I fought. The strange circular blade thing bounced awkwardly at my hip as I did so. "Jack, jump over the candlestick!" I jumped over an attacker, and let them kill the one that had been sneaking up behind me before slitting their throat. "Jack jumped high, Jack jump low~" A thunder spell caught my hand and made me drop my daggers _just_ as a morph rushed me. Desperately, I grabbed the only bladed thing I had: that weird circular thing. "Jack jumped over and burned his toe~"

It… caught the morph's sword. Both of us only stared as I, who honestly was not _that strong,_ used a tiny, circular blade to catch and deflect a sword. I twisted, eviscerating the morph, and felt the blade almost _buzz_ as it easily sliced through. I might as well have been slicing the air, for all the resistance I got.

They dropped like a stone, breaking into dust, and I could only just stare at the thing in my hand. What was this? How did it…? Okay, I think I was going to ignore that and check on the girl.

"Hey, you all right?" I asked, crouching by her and helping her up. Despite how roughly they had been treating her, she did not seem to have many bruises or scrapes, likely because of everything she wore. "You are not hurt, are you?"

She looked at me with too-old eyes, and tilted her head as she studied me. "You…" she whispered. "You are a shadow of the sun." I was a what now? "Your aura is bright, but you wrap it in the dark. A twilight sun, an eclipsed one…" Um… did she hit her head? I think she might have hit her head. "Oh… wait… you asked a question…"

"Yes, are you hurt?" The others were fighting around me, so I just focused on her.

"No, I am… fine." She hesitated, looking to the ground shyly. "My name…"

"Hmm?"

"My name… is Sofia…"

"I'm Amanda." I pointed to the others "That's Uther, Elbert, Madelyn, Hassar, Nicholas, Urien, Yodel, Marcus, Maria, and Eagler." I made sure to linger on each one as I pointed, so that it was not _just_ a string of names. "Where do you live? We can take you-?"

A sudden _roar_ nearly made me scream, and when I whirled, I saw… I saw someone not too much older than us, if he even was older, just tear into the morphs without a care with a giant freaking axe. They repeatedly injured him, but he just kept on going, as if the wounds were merely something to irritate him.

"Oh, Hawkeye made it," Sofia murmured. She did not seem surprised, but I was also legitimately wondering if she felt anything besides calm shyness. "Oh… um…" She fiddled with her hands. "I need… to tell him… that you are nice people…" Huh?

I almost asked, but then I saw. He swung right at Uther, clearly thinking we were with the morphs. Uther ducked and parried, trying to keep footing on the sand, but clearly the unknown man had the advantage. So, what do I…? Well, there was a rock nearby. So, I picked it up, and threw it as hard as I could. It merely went _by_ them, but it did bring the guy's attention over to us.

Sofia waved when he looked. "I am okay, Hawkeye," she whispered. He tilted his head, and she smiled. "These… are nice people. They came… to help me." He glanced at the rest of us. "Yes, all of them…"

"What are they doing here?" the man asked. His eyes were narrowed suspiciously, even if he did step back and relax. It was very clear that whoever he and the girl were, he protected her, no exceptions. "Outsiders do not brave the deserts for fun."

"Actually, Hawkeye, that is a question I think all of us have." That… that voice sounded light, but incredibly old. And the owner of said voice _looked_ the age as he walked over. "The next wave of sandstorms is about to start," he informed us. I glanced around and saw nothing that would indicate any sort of storm, but hey, what did I know? "Let us head to some nearby ruins to speak." The old man smiled. "My name is Athos." It was _what_. "Might I hear why you are here?"

* * *

I wondered what these ruins were, a long time ago. There were carvings of dragons along the walls as we walked, so some part of me wondered if this might have been a castle for dragons, long before the Scouring. Or perhaps this was the remains of a civilization older than the Scouring, lost to the sands by the time the Scouring even began. That was a little… unnerving. Almost as unnerving as the fact that _we were talking to one of the Eight Heroes._

"Ah, so there are children looking into that," Athos murmured. We were all standing in this open little room, our group clustered on one end, the weird trio on the other. "I had not realized that was the case." And we just got done telling him everything we knew. "I am impressed you knew of the creation and application of morphs, though. Is there a record of it in the Reglay library still? I thought Elimine removed it."

"No, we heard from a wandering scholar," I answered. I refused to use Wuotan's name, and I knew Nicky felt the same. This was all just far, _far_ too weird. "From there, we figured out a lot."

"I see." Athos closed his eyes. "Still, to practice on children… he is really lost…" He? "I know of the person who is responsible for all of this." Oh, awesome. Let us stab him through the heart and be done with it. "But it is impossible to reach him." Oh. Great.

"Why is that?" Elbert asked. He and Uther exchanged a look that all but screamed 'impossible is only a 'challenge'. "If it is simply a difficult place to reach…"

"It is an _impossible_ place to reach for humans," Athos replied firmly. "You would need a dragon, and one of great strength, to make it through the barrier he erected on Valor Isle." On _what_. "Put him from your mind. He is the source, but he cannot do anything. He recovers from a battle he had not long ago, with Fiona and Bramimond." Did he just say _Bramimond_? "And the pain to his ego. I imagine we can ensure he flees an area just by having Bramimond exert an influence at this point." My head was spinning. "Regardless, you cannot reach him. You can only set back his plans. Severely."

"I would rather stop it, and spare my child any sort of pain."

"From this point, that is impossible," Sofia whispered. She kept her head down fiddling with her fingers. "While fate is mutable, something that is made… certain choices will lead to unchangeable moments. Like crossroads in the road…" You could make a choice _from_ a crossroads, but if you were traveling, you were going to hit one no matter which direction you went. "I saw… one of those moments… I think?"

"Ah, yes, Sofia, you were captured because you collapsed from a vision," Athos murmured. He gently stroked her head reassuringly, and she smiled slightly. They were like a grandparent or child. "Ah, I should stop doing that. You are… is it a century now?" SHE WAS WHAT?!

"I am older… than that… Archsage…" My head was _really_ spinning now. "But yes… I saw… I saw four… who rise from the foundation left here… just as you all grew from the legacy of the Scouring…" She closed her eyes, and her voice suddenly strengthened. "I see a young boy with eyes that always see straight ahead, resolved even against the impossible. A kind soul who shies from war not because he is not good at it, but because he sees all the blood that falls. Someone who holds out their hand to those in need, and a smile warm enough to charm anyone." Was that Eliwood? She said it in response to Elbert's concern, but… "I see another young boy, the same age, with the loyalty of a wolf, and the fierce temper of thunder. Let the world burn, he thinks, but gods do not help those foolish enough to harm those under his protection." Who was…? "I see a young girl, not yet born, with wind in her blood as she dances across a sea of grass. Child of the plains and mountains, beloved by the sky, but a loneliness like no other when her world shatters under her feet." Child not yet… seriously, she could see shit like _that_? This was just bullshit. "Lastly, I see a woman, older than the others, with a spirit that shines brighter than the sun, burning away obstacles and fracturing the future as it passes by, but also burning herself from the inside out. Alone she walks, because geniuses are selfish and too kind, but nothing is impossible if she guards her friends."

"Just the four?" THAT SEEMED LIKE A LOT TO ME?

"Yes…" She opened her eyes again, back to being hesitant. "I can see that they exist… I can see that they fight… but I do not know even if they fight together… I do not know if they meet at all… Only that they fight, with friends by their sides…" Um… "The future is every changing… the 'crossroads' is only that they will fight…"

"Were any hard to see?"

"The wolf boy and the sun girl. I barely caught a single glimpse…" Seemed like she got a lot from that 'glimpse'. This was nuts. No one could see the future, right? Also, how in the actual hells were these people somehow _alive_?! "I am sorry…"

"No, no. Your gift of Foresight is simply greater than mine, Sofia, so I wondered what you saw. But it seems in this case, you did not see much more than me." He shook his head. "Hawkeye?" I nearly squeaked when Hawkeye moved. He had been so quiet that I actually forgot he was here! "Please, take Sofia back to the village. She must be exhausted, and I am certain Fae is worried." Hawkeye only nodded silently, and wrapped an arm around Sofia's shoulders, leading her away. "Now then…" He turned to the rest of us. "You know that, no matter what you do, you can only buy time, yes?"

"The diviner of my tribe predicted a similar thing," Hassar noted. He, alone, did not look uncomfortable. "That is fine, is it not? Is it not a common strategy to buy time for someone to pull off a trap or spell?" Well, when you put it like _that_ …

"Yeah, so if that's all we can do, well, that's all we can do," Madelyn added with a little shrug. She did not look very perturbed. "At the least, it will mean getting justice for all the women and children the monster's lackeys have slaughtered, and it means we can kill Albert, so I still say we win." …I loved everyone. "Does anyone really disagree?"

"No, not really," Uther noted. He still sighed, though. "I'm not happy about it, but if it _is_ all that we can do, then we simply need to keep walking. If we don't, then the next generation is just inheriting a bloody world of war." He nudged Elbert in the side, grinning with Elbert scowled. "Come on. Relax. Eliwood will be fine. You know Hector will keep him safe."

"Uther, they're not even a year old," Elbert deadpanned. Still, he sighed. "Well, I suppose. All anyone can do is their best, and everyone's best is different. This will be ours." Was there anyone who disagreed? A quick look said 'no'. "I worry for the expeditions sent here, though." Oh, right, that. That was the whole reason we came to the desert.

"There are those with powerful quintessence hiding in the desert," Athos explained. He… was talking around something. I could tell. "But it is a land I guard, and those who slip through are dealt with by Hawkeye." I see… "It is good you came out here. I can provide some assistance." Such as… "Who's home is closest to Bern? I can warp you all there." Wait, what?!

"Mine. Pherae is right on the border of Lycia and Bern." Was no one else freaking out over the 'warping' part? No? Just me? "We need to get our horses, though."

"Go ahead." The mounted ones left to get the horses, leaving us foot-fighters behind. "Incidentally, Miss… Amanda, was it?"

"Me?" I asked, pointing to myself. He nodded. "Yes, I am Amanda. Did you need something?"

"The weapon on your waist." Oh, that! "Where did you find it?"

"In the sands, not far from where we met you." I unhooked it from my belt and held it out to him. "What is it? I have never seen a blade like it."

"I would be surprised if you had." His eyes were sad as he took the weapon from me. "I knew it had been thrown here in the desert, but I didn't think I would see it again." He handed it back to me. "It is called a 'Chakram', a special type of dagger. Forged during the Scouring for the Lady Hildegarde."

"And I just happened to find it?"

"Perhaps she willed it."

"…You are not going to tell me _she_ is alive, are you?"

"Oh, no." He laughed, but it was sad. It was _incredibly_ sad, like he was laughing to avoid bursting into tears. "No, Hilda died a long, long time ago. A few weeks before Hartmut, in fact. That had been a very… difficult month." …I wonder what it was like, outliving the people you love. I doubted I would ever learn, of course. My lifestyle did not normally lead to a _long_ life. "Ah, they have returned." …THAT WAS QUICK!

"Did you all sprint?" Yodel asked dryly as the rest of the group did very much return. "I hope you didn't do anything ill-advised for your health."

"I think this whole adventure is ill-advised for our health," Maria _instantly_ retorted. She looked absolutely ecstatic, and I knew it was because we were not going to have to go through the desert again. "Oh, the locals…"

"Hawkeye will inform them that you made it safely," Athos told us. "It is not the first time we have had contact with them." There was something secretive in his smile as he drew out something with light. Whatever it was, it made Urien's eyes widen, and I knew he was doing his best to memorize it. "Elbert, think of a wide open space in your home, and someone you might see there. That will make it easier for the magic to take you to the correct place." Elbert closed his eyes and the room slowly began to glow. "A word of warning, Nicholas of Hanover." Athos looked far too serious as the magic wrapped around us. "Do not let Desmond catch you." Wha…?

We warped away, leaving only that very, _very_ vague warning to echo through our heads. What… why? Just why?

Why would him in particular be bad?

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me, Thief/Assassin. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. Bad injuries to my back resulted in permanent nerve damage or something, giving me a pins and needles feeling in two fingers of my right hand. While I'm adapting, it does cause problems with my grip. I… am falling for Uther. I now wield the 'Chakram', apparently a dagger once wielded by the Lady Hildegarde. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia, Lord. He is INCREDIBLY INFURIATING and stupidly kind. Wields axes. Thankfully, his encounter with Albert this time turned out better than last time. He is very careful about my fears, and is just… very gentle in general with me. He also keeps his promises to me, distressed when it seems like he might not be able to. He's upset that we must sacrifice the few for the many, even if it logically makes sense, and resigned to the idea that we might just be buying time. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary, Bow Knight(?). Hails from the Lorca tribe. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies. I think he might be falling for Madelyn, but it is difficult to say. At the least, he is very protective of her, and it is clear her being in danger is a great fear of his. Unlike the rest of us, it's pretty clear he puts a lot of stock in fortunetelling. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Maria, Ilian Knight, Pegasus Knight. Though she had been fighting without a paycheck, she's cheerful about Nicky's offer of payment. Knows hand to hand combat. Fretter, but good at flying. Wields lances. Got a haircut thanks to Douglas, meaning her hair is short now. Seems to think Uther and I bicker like 'an old married couple'? Very good at knitting and sewing. She's also skilled in field medicine. Cannot tolerate heat well at all. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· ** _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Frets over Hassar, and I think she might be falling for him. Is rather good at moving quietly, due to sneaking around her own castle, and is perhaps the bravest of us. Or the most foolish. I have no idea which one. An expert poker player. Doesn't mind that we're only buying time, since that's all we can do. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· ** _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae, Cavalier. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He is definitely the type to keep walking forward, no matter what. He is very kind, almost too much so, and very accepting of people, careful to not tread on nerves. That said, he's sometimes a giant idiot. He, Uther, and Madelyn are childhood friends. Upset that we cannot do more than buy time, as he wants to protect his son. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· _Marcus, knight of Pherae, Cavalier. Or is it butler? He's certainly very good at taking care of people. All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. He is cautious and wary by nature, a trait that makes him very valuable. Specializes in lances. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

· _Eagler, knight of Caelin, Paladin. While it is clear who is the knight and who is the noble, some of my observations make me think he and Madelyn share an almost sibling-like relation, though her spending time with Hassar makes it difficult to see if I'm right. I think he's utterly exasperated with all of us. Equal skill in swords and lances, though he is still obviously learning axes. Seems to enjoy watching his lady beat people at poker, given his proud little smile. Gets seasick. Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

· ** _Nicky, Count Hanover, Paladin. My dear cousin, who I grew up with. Was a 'young knight', becoming a full-fledged knight at only fourteen. Hates himself, but keeps sane by remembering that others love him. Had Wuotan as a confidant the past five years, which I think helped even out his rather deadly temper. Specializes in lances and also trained in swords. Worries about how this recent 'victory' will be used to justify the colonization of the Isles. Also, apparently something bad will happen if he meets Desmond? I do not know, maybe he will punch Desmond in the face or something. Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

· _Yodel, Priest. He has an excellent bedside manner to cooperative patients. He retains his no-nonsense demeanor though, even as a healer, and despite having no weapons training, I'm certain he still remembers how to 'fight dirty'. I'm willing to bet he could knock someone out with his staff. Even with the seasickness remedies he made, he's still stuck tending to our three landlubbers. Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

· ** _Urien, Count Reglay, Sage. I know him mostly secondhand, as he and Nicky hung out more in a formal setting than a familiar one. He's a little judgy, but he has the good tact to keep the thoughts in his head instead of voicing them. A powerful mage like most of Reglay's leaders, and he has a son named Pent. Back-up healer for Yodel. Treasure-hunter and scholar happy. Silver hair, silver eyes, 24 years old._

* * *

Author's Note: So, in FE7, Uther _somehow_ knows that a 'Living Legend' (Athos) is in the desert. This is my explanation on why. Sofia is a char from FE6 that has a brief cameo in FE7 as well. Hawkeye is in his teens here. You may take guesses on who Sofia was talking about in her vision, the first two do not count.

Next Chapter – Child


	19. Chapter 19) Child

Chapter 19) Child

* * *

 _Lord Cedric and Lady Mariana were married with great ceremony and scandal, but they persevered. It was easy to do so, when the people you loved were firmly supporting you. Lord Jason served as the Best Man, which made people whisper horrible things. But Lord Jason had wanted it, and Lord Cedric always admitted that if Lord Jason would not take the position, none would._

 _Lady Mariana bore a child within a year, and gradually, things turned peaceful again among the friends._

* * *

When the light cleared, we were no longer in the ruins. Instead, we were in the courtyard of a very beautiful castle. The flags flapped proudly in the wind, embroidered with the crest of House Pherae, a rearing horse. This was really…?

Elbert was already moving, Uther following easily. I glanced at Madelyn, who grinned and took off too, right on their heels. The rest of us exchanged a look and shrug before going after them. Marcus split off to talk to the understandably startled servants, but the rest of us continued forward until we caught up with Elbert and Uther. Elbert was hugging, and kissing, a rather startled, but beautiful, woman. That must be his wife. …I _hope_ that was his wife, at least.

"Elbert, what are you doing here?" she breathed, staring wide eyed. She looked between Elbert, Uther, and Madelyn, as if she expected them to disappear as soon as she blinked enough times. "And Uther and Madelyn and… and others?"

"I'm home for now," Elbert replied, smiling warmly. He looked happier than I had ever seen. "It was a bit unexpected, which is why there was no messenger."

"Are you all right?"

"I'm just fine. Everyone has been taken care of me." He held his arms out and held still as she poked his shoulder. "See? We should give Marcus a promotion, and raise, because of everything he's gone through."

"Oh, yes, of course." Her voice fell flat, and she looked completely unamused. Oh, I knew what was coming now. "I cannot believe you three!" All three cowered in the face of her wrath as she glared at them all. "You just disappear on _everyone_ , not a word on where you were going, or how long you would be gone! Hausen is worried _sick_ , and that's not even going into your parents, and brother, Uther!" She rounded on the rest of us, but the angry expression faded for a smile and a curtsey. "Ah, but where are my manners? My name is Eleanora. I am the lady of the household, Elbert's wife. I thank you all for putting up with my husband and his _very. Reckless. Friends_." I liked her.

"Oh, it is no trouble," I replied, mostly because I think the others were a bit startled by the sudden shift in mood. I, however, was used to such things. It was a skill noblewomen developed. "I must apologize as I fear I had something to do with it!"

"Oh, no, no, I'm sure it was just them being too enraptured with adventure and duty to spare a thought for poor worried family members." She shot the three of them a glare, and I had to bite back a laugh at how they all cowered again. "Regardless, you must be horribly tired. Please, if you but wait a moment, I can arrange rooms for you all. Perhaps some food as well?"

"Food can wait, but we are in desperate need of _baths_ if you can get those ready?"

"Of course, of course." She smiled warmly, and I smiled back. This was all the more amusing because I knew everyone else was just watching us with the most 'what the hell' looks they had ever wore. "I must say, though, I do love your dress."

"Thank you very much. It was a gift."

"I should make Elbert buy me something like it."

"You should." This was great. This was _hilariously_ great. Again, all the more so because I knew the rest of the group was wondering if we had hit our heads or something. "And some jewelry."

"Oh, yes, there were some in the market that caught my eye just a few days ago."

"My lady?" All eyes turned to a hesitant servant as she walked into the room, carrying a baby in her arms. "I'm sorry," she murmured, holding the baby out to Elbert. "He just started fussing suddenly. I think he sensed his father was home."

"And how is my brave baby boy?" Elbert cooed, picking up Eliwood and holding him overheard briefly before cradling him against his chest. Eliwood gurgled in reply. "Oh, you've been good for your mommy?"

"He's thrown four tantrums, and pouts horrendously when 'story time' comes along and you don't show up," Eleanora retorted bluntly. She smiled, though, as she came to stand next to him, rubbing baby Eliwood's back as he gurgled again. "You owe him many."

"It seems I do." The two continued to coo over their baby boy, and the rest of us slowly joined in, mostly because… well, there was a baby, and for a brief moment, we were not running for our lives or chasing down criminals. I noticed how nostalgic Nicky and Urien looked, and knew they were remembering, and missing, their own children.

I also noticed how Hassar kept his distance, and looked _pained_. Yes, there was definitely something there. But I doubted I would ever learn. After all, that was not a thing to ask anyone.

I could only hope he could find a way to ease that hurt. I think the world owed him that, for being so kind.

* * *

Castle Pherae was much simpler than Castle Ostia, though it was clear it also was not quite as defensible. There were numerous places where you would have to place guards in order to prevent an infiltration. If the castle were ever undermanned, that would be a problem.

But still, it was pretty. It was very pretty.

"Ah, Lady Amanda!" Curious, I turned and realized I was walking past a balcony, one where Eleanora sat with Eliwood. "Are you on your way somewhere?" she asked me gently, with a warm smile as she rocked Eliwood.

"Not really," I answered with a shrug. Noticing another chair, I sat down next to her. "I was just getting a feel for the place."

"And noting weak spots to keep an eye on. I noticed where your gaze focused." …She was a _sharp_ lady. "Elbert has told me a little about what's going on. I'm sure he's hiding a lot, like how dangerous it actually all is, but nothing I can do about that."

"I can tell you, if you want."

"No, despite how I'm acting, I'm actually not in the best of health." She smiled wanly. "My pregnancy and the birthing took a lot out of me. I've actually been forbidden by the healers to having another one. It might just kill me." …Well that was… that was a thing. "So, I know he doesn't tell me because he fears for my health."

"Do you want Yodel to check you over?"

"That might be a good idea. Just in case there is something that has been overlooked. Fresh eyes." She shook her head, and her smile warmed. "But I'm sure you deal with enough sad things. Do you want to hold Eliwood?"

"I…" I almost refused, thinking of how much I did not want to 'dirty' him. But then I remembered Cristina's words. "Sure."

"Oh, good!" She laughed a little and passed Eliwood over to me. "He's been so curious by all the strange people."

"I'm sure he has!" Carefully, I set him on my lap, locking up my legs to _make sure_ he did not fall. He stared up at me with surprisingly kind eyes. He was someone who would face a lot of heartache in the future. I was almost certain of it. "Hey, there…" I made a funny face, and smiled when he smiled back. "Well, he seems to like me."

"Of course he does." Eleanora leaned over my shoulder, sticking her tongue out at Eliwood. He immediately imitated her, much to our laughter. "He is my life's joy, just as Elbert is the light of my life." That… that sounded _straight_ from an old romance novel. "Have you ever thought about it?"

"Thought about what?"

"Marrying and having children?"

All my thoughts crashed to a stop, though I tried to hide it by taking off my necklace and dangling it over Eliwood for him to bat at. Mark and Maria had loved doing so, and Eliwood was quickly entranced by the strange pendant.

As he played with it though, watching and reaching as I swung it back and forth, I tried to answer her. "I have thought about it," I finally replied. My voice was very quiet. "Or, rather, it was once expected of me. I was to marry and have children, no matter what I wished. That was just the way of the world."

"But you didn't want it."

"…No, I did not." Of course, when my husband was _Albert_ … "Did Elbert tell you about me in particular?"

"He only told me that you were someone Uther trusted and cared for, and that your past was dark and left you with scars." She shifted to look me better in the face. "That is all I need to know. Actually, truthfully, that is more than I need to know."

"…You are very kind." I hoped life would be kind to her in return. "Regardless, though, I never did like the idea of pregnancy, and being a mother never quite… it was never something I dreamed of." I continued playing with Eliwood, smiling at his smile. "I do like kids, though. I took care of some back in Ostia." Though, that had been more for my own conscience than anything else. I wondered how they were doing.

"Well, if you stay in Ostia when all of this is over, I know just who to ask to babysit." She laughed a little, and I saw no judgment in her face and smile. Even Cristina and Hellen had always been like 'oh, you will want them when you're older!', but that never happened for me. I liked kids. That did not mean I wanted to have one of my own. "Speaking of which, do you mind holding him up while I check his ears. He's so _fussy_ , but I think there might be something wrong."

"Sure, that is no problem."

* * *

 _People_

· _Amanda, me, Thief/Assassin. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. Bad injuries to my back resulted in permanent nerve damage or something, giving me a pins and needles feeling in two fingers of my right hand. While I'm adapting, it does cause problems with my grip. I… am falling for Uther. I now wield the 'Chakram', apparently a dagger once wielded by the Lady Hildegarde. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia, Lord. He is INCREDIBLY INFURIATING and stupidly kind. Wields axes. Thankfully, his encounter with Albert this time turned out better than last time. He is very careful about my fears, and is just… very gentle in general with me. He also keeps his promises to me, distressed when it seems like he might not be able to. He's upset that we must sacrifice the few for the many, even if it logically makes sense, and resigned to the idea that we might just be buying time. Writing letters, and reports, to his parents to let them know a bit more about what is going on. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary, Bow Knight(?). Hails from the Lorca tribe. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies. I think he might be falling for Madelyn, but it is difficult to say. At the least, he is very protective of her, and it is clear her being in danger is a great fear of his. Unlike the rest of us, it's pretty clear he puts a lot of stock in fortunetelling. It's also increasingly clear that there is SOME sort of trauma in his past involving a child. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· _Maria, Ilian Knight, Pegasus Knight. Though she had been fighting without a paycheck, she's cheerful about Nicky's offer of payment. Knows hand to hand combat. Fretter, but good at flying. Wields lances. Got a haircut thanks to Douglas, meaning her hair is short now. Seems to think Uther and I bicker like 'an old married couple'? Very good at knitting and sewing. She's also skilled in field medicine. Cannot tolerate heat well at all. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· ** _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Frets over Hassar, and I think she might be falling for him. Is rather good at moving quietly, due to sneaking around her own castle, and is perhaps the bravest of us. Or the most foolish. I have no idea which one. An expert poker player. Doesn't mind that we're only buying time, since that's all we can do. Writing a letter filled with lies to her father, so that he does not worry. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· ** _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae, Cavalier. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He is definitely the type to keep walking forward, no matter what. He is very kind, almost too much so, and very accepting of people, careful to not tread on nerves. That said, he's sometimes a giant idiot. He, Uther, and Madelyn are childhood friends. Upset that we cannot do more than buy time, as he wants to protect his son. A son he actively dtoes on. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Marcus, knight of Pherae, Cavalier. Or is it butler? He's certainly very good at taking care of people. All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. He is cautious and wary by nature, a trait that makes him very valuable. Specializes in lances. I think he's glad to be back home. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

· ** _Eagler, knight of Caelin, Paladin. While it is clear who is the knight and who is the noble, some of my observations make me think he and Madelyn share an almost sibling-like relation, though her spending time with Hassar makes it difficult to see if I'm right. I think he's utterly exasperated with all of us. Equal skill in swords and lances, though he is still obviously learning axes. Seems to enjoy watching his lady beat people at poker, given his proud little smile. Gets seasick. Writing a report to his lord, as well as a mention of his missing friend, Wallace. I wonder where he is. Probably Caelin. Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

· _Nicky, Count Hanover, Paladin. My dear cousin, who I grew up with. Was a 'young knight', becoming a full-fledged knight at only fourteen. Hates himself, but keeps sane by remembering that others love him. Had Wuotan as a confidant the past five years, which I think helped even out his rather deadly temper. Specializes in lances and also trained in swords. Worries about how this recent 'victory' will be used to justify the colonization of the Isles. Also, apparently something bad will happen if he meets Desmond? I do not know, maybe he will punch Desmond in the face or something. Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

· _Yodel, Priest. He has an excellent bedside manner to cooperative patients. He retains his no-nonsense demeanor though, even as a healer, and despite having no weapons training, I'm certain he still remembers how to 'fight dirty'. I'm willing to bet he could knock someone out with his staff. Even with the seasickness remedies he made, he's still stuck tending to our three landlubbers. Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

· _Urien, Count Reglay, Sage. I know him mostly secondhand, as he and Nicky hung out more in a formal setting than a familiar one. He's a little judgy, but he has the good tact to keep the thoughts in his head instead of voicing them. A powerful mage like most of Reglay's leaders, and he has a son named Pent. Back-up healer for Yodel. Treasure-hunter and scholar happy. Silver hair, silver eyes, 24 years old._

* * *

Author's Note: Just a bit of a rest chapter, paralleling how in FE7, Athos warped the group to Pherae. Have a baby Eliwood. And a reference to the start of FE6.

Next Chapter – Axe and Fang


	20. Chapter 20) Axe and Fang

Chapter 20) Axe and Fang

* * *

 _However, even as things turned peaceful among friends, it was not so in the court and country. The simple 'love triangle' had spiraled out of control, and Etruria was on the brink of a civil war. They were trying to rally people to two sides. Those behind Lord Cedric, including the king, and those behind Lord Jason, including the High Chancellor._

 _The two friends were horrified by the turn of events, and it seemed as if Etruria would collapse._

* * *

It was… strange to see a border village so bustling. Now, granted, it could be because there was a lot of traffic, but I wondered why. It was not like anything 'big' was happening in the capital, and that was normally when you had the most influx of travelers.

Still, it made for good hiding. That was a _very_ good thing, considering how weird our group was.

"So, why were we split up like this again?" I asked, more curious than anything. After all, I was walking with Uther and Madelyn. At her insistence, she and I were pretending to be sisters, shopping with my fiancé. "Also, it was not just my imagination that Elbert was sulky, right?"

"Nope!" Madelyn cackled. "He's sulking because he had to leave Eleanora and Eliwood!" I chose to not point out that she had been sulking earlier. After all, she _had_ originally wanted to walk with Hassar, but Eagler insisted on pairing up with him instead. I thought I had an idea why. "Anyway, since Eagler wouldn't let me join him and Hassar, I just jumped in with you two." She snickered. "Sorry~"

"For what?" Confused, I glanced at Uther, but saw he was not paying attention. "Something catch your eye, dear?"

"Why, yes, darling," Uther replied instantly. We stopped by a stall and he picked up a pair of bracelets. The charms on them showcased 'sun' and 'moon'. "How about some bracelets for you and your sister?"

"Now, dear, you do not need to go through such trouble," I demurred, tilting my head almost shyly. Really, though, I just continued to be confused. This was the _fifth_ thing he had bought me, just today. "You have already gotten me so much…"

"Is there something wrong with spoiling my fiancé~?" He gave me the most gigantic and smug grin as he paid for the bracelets and passed them over. "For you."

"You are horribly infuriating, sometimes." Still, it _was_ pretty. He gave me the 'sun' one. Madelyn happily hooked the 'moon' one around her wrist. "Horribly."

"Yes, yes." He gently took my hand and kissed it. "But it's also delightful, yes?"

"I refuse to comment." Laughter made me glower at Madelyn. "Amused?"

"Very," she confirmed, still giggling. "Oh, Uther, you're so easy to read~" He was?

"I don't need to hear that from you, Mads," Uther instantly retorted. We continued through the market, and I noticed something strange. The market… the crowd was thinning? What time was it? I would think it would continue to be busy for a while longer. "Don't think we haven't noticed how you lean towards Hassar."

"Well, what's wrong with falling in love with such a kind man?" She said the words so lightly that I could not help but stare. How could she so easily say…? "What? I know I'm falling. I'm not sure if I would quite say I'm 'in love' yet, but I know I'm falling into it."

"…Your father won't like it."

"My father always taught me to follow my heart, no matter how difficult the path. After all, that's what he did, when he met Mother at one of Reglay's magical academies."

"That's right; she used to be a teacher."

"Yes, and there were many obstacles they had to overcome. But they did." She shrugged. "Of course, that's all assuming that he returns the feelings, and I'm not sure he does?" I thought differently, but I also thought he… might be afraid… I certainly was. "Amanda, you have any fun gossip to add?"

"Not really," I murmured. I made myself smile, but it was hard. "Remember, I was engaged to Albert."

"You can talk about others." Her eyes were comforting. "Like… oh! Cristina and Nicholas! Can you tell us a story that we can tease him about?"

"Well…" Yes, that would… that would be something happy. "There was the time Nicholas was so entranced by her that he spilled red wine all over his front?" I grinned at the memory. "His _white_ front, in fact. He was wearing a white shirt that day."

"No!" Madelyn laughed and laughed, and I could see Uther was struggling to not burst into laughter too. "Was it in a public place?"

"Cristina's debut at a ball." The memory made me smile. "Of course, they were engaged, and married, not too long after that." Grandfather had pulled every string he could to make sure that the marriage could go through. That was why I had been so startled and confused when he had not done the same for me… "That was a pretty wedding. I was one of the bridesmaids."

"Who was the maid of honor?"

"Hellene." I was laughing now. _That_ was a very good memory. "She was fretting even more that Cristina. It was _hilarious_." However, even with that good memory in my head, my smile fell as I noticed something. The market was clearing. It was clearing, and it was not yet twilight. "Something is wrong."

"I think we're about to be in the middle of a fight," Uther agreed. He unhooked his axe, while I palmed my daggers and Madelyn hovered a hand over her sword. We had hidden the weapons with our cloaks, but now… "What direction?"

"Well, if it was me…" I murmured. My eyes narrowed as I looked around. Nothing. Therefore… "Above."

"I hate everything." Uther shifted, bringing his axe up to block _right_ as someone jumped down from a nearby roof, attempting to just cleave Uther in two. I actually saw the ground _dent_ as Uther struggled to keep his stance under the force.

The attacker jumped back, landing easily. A giant axe. That was the first thing I noticed. A giant axe, and a build to match. A bow was hooked onto his back, a clear back up. I doubted he had much skill, but that did not matter. He had the _strength_ to still punch a hole through anything he set his sights on. And now, his sights were on _us_.

He lunged again, strangely silent despite the large weapon. Uther just dodged this time. Madelyn did the same, but I jumped up, aiming for his eyes. He jerked his head back, so I only managed to get one good cut: cheek to hairline, right over his left eye. The way he shifted and adapted quickly told me something very important, almost as much as how _silent_ he was.

This man was an assassin, and he was used to being disadvantaged. This… this might not be good.

But, then again, the man frowned when he looked at me. And then he stepped back, stance relaxing. "…Something isn't right here," he whispered, resting his axe on his shoulder, eying us skeptically. "Do I have the wrong target?"

"Well, that depends," Uther retorted. He looked a little unnerved, and shifted to stand in from of Madelyn. "Who is your target?"

"Uther of Ostia."

"Oh, well, no, that's me. Who are you?"

"Brendan Reed." Wait, that name… "Founder and Leader of the Black Fang assassins." He nodded to me. "And you've got the Huntress of Ostia traveling with you. Morals are looser than my group, but I doubt she'd travel with a child-killer, and that's what I was told you were." Oh, well, what do you know? I was known in Bern… wait a second. "You the group that informed mine in Etruria that they were tricked?"

"Ah, yes!" Madelyn answered. She looked so adorably confused. "That was me… us… um…" She slowly relaxed, tilting her head. "Wait, you were hired to kill Uther?"

"Yeah, by Ephidel, advisor to Bellinis or whatever the name is," Brendan replied with a shrug. The three of us, though, exchanged a look. "Seems like you know more about what's going on than me." He whistled sharply and someone in a black cloak jumped down next to him. "Gather the others, and if there are any wounded, on either side, tend to them." Um… "Let's have an exchange of information, you lot."

"What's the exchange?"

"Well, I don't go back to trying to replace your head with my axe." The words might be a threat, but his grin made it clear he was mostly kidding. "Welcome to Bern, by the way." Yeah, uh…

This was so weird.

* * *

"I can't believe you're letting us here." Nicky summed up all of our reactions as we hid in an out of the way house, apparently a Black Fang hideout. "I really can't believe it."

"We rotate safehouses, and I doubt you'll remember the _exact_ one within a few days, thanks to all of you being bewildred," Brendan answered easily. We were all sitting at a small table, and it was clear who was in charge just by observing the room. Him. Even if he owed Yodel for saving his eye. He had a scar now, though. "So, if you'd like me to start?"

"Ah, yes, please," Uther murmured. We had purposely arranged it so that he was sitting opposite Brendan. Elbert and Madelyn were on either side of him; I was standing behind him, between Marcus and Hassar. No points for guessing who _they_ were standing behind. "What is the state in Bern?"

"Chaos." That was… blunt. Blunt and bitter. "King doesn't rule, no one listens to the pregnant queen, so the nobles continue to have free reign." He shrugged. "I've no illusions that I'm doing the 'right' thing, being a vigilante. I just can't stay idly by. I did, once, and the lord who was supposed to protect me and mine kidnapped my wife, raped her, and threw her off the battlements of his castle when she cried." Oh, it was _so_ nice to hear that Bernese nobles weren't much better than Etrurians. "So, I killed him, ran, and then decided that I didn't want anyone else to feel quite as helpless as I did. It's a very selfish group, truthfully." He leaned forward. "But it's a selfish group that hears a lot. I know that there was a string of murders among poor girls who had to sell themselves for a bit of coin, and poor children who had nowhere to go. Managed to stop a couple of the kidnappings."

"Did you get a look at the kidnappers?"

"Gold eyes, which is why Ephidel didn't seem 'right'." Then, this Ephidel had golden eyes as well? Was he a morph, like the ones we killed? Or was he more like the morph that saved Albert right when we were about to kill him? "But you can't judge a person solely on their eye color. Still, enough to make me wary, and it's not like I like Bellinis anyway."

"You mentioned the king doesn't rule?"

"Nope. Desmond is a mediocre idiot, and everyone knows it." Well, that just seemed rather… sad to me. They were not even giving him a _chance_. "Truly a sad day when his brother died, and he became king." They just compared him to his 'perfect brother', and found him wanting. Why _would_ he want to rule? Why would he want to rule even before all of that, wearing a crown that bore his family's blood? It was hard to feel anything but pity for someone so out of their depth, through no fault of their own… "So, Lord Bellinis rules instead."

"…Reminds me of Etruria," Nicky murmured. He waited to continue until Uther nodded, a clear indication of who was the 'leader' of the group. "Albert maneuvered things to rule in the shadows, through a prince he was slowly killing." He shook his head, glancing at Urien and Yodel. "Here, though, it seems like a seizing of opportunity. What's that old saying?"

"'Take the opportunity to take the goat,'" Urien replied. The tense mood instantly lightened at the ridiculousness of the words. "It's from an old book of strategy, highlighting the need for flexibility in strategies, and take advantage of anything." Urien's eyes narrowed. "The consumption outbreak is not something tha can be controlled, but I imagine anyone with a bit of power hunger was _very glad_ that a person who was always told he would never become king, was never raised for the position, was suddenly wearing the crown."

"It's enough to feel pity for the man, even if I'm not very fond of him." Nicky shook his head. "Out of his depth, thrust into a life that was never supposed to be his… I suppose I can't blame him for trying to run." I could see it in his eyes that he thought Desmond should _learn_. I was not sure if I agreed or not. I was thrown into a life I had never wanted, and I had to sacrifice a lot of 'myself' in order to thrive. And I only sacrificed those bits because I had desperately wanted to _live_. I would not have if that had not been the motivator. "With a psychotic as his advisor."

"Yeah, as you can imagine, things are messy here," Brendan replied. He looked at all of us in turn. "But you're trying to make things a little more orderly, right?" We all nodded, of course. That _was_ what we were doing, after all. "Well, the job of the Black Fang is to bite those who abuse their power, and to protect the commoners." Brendan smiled slowly. "Mind if I join up and help you do that?" Uh…

"Sure," Uther agreed instantly. Everyone looked at him funny. "What? It's not the first time I've worked with someone who almost killed me." He pointed to me for emphasis. "Best decision ever, truthfully." …My face turned red at that. "So, darling, what do you think?"

"I think, as always, you are insane, dear," I immediately snapped. It got a laugh out of everyone. "But yeah, sure, let us get another assassin to the mix. It is not like we would not be in a hell of a lot of trouble if we are caught anyway." However, if that was out of the way… "By the way, there has been _giggling_ from behind the door, and I have been doing my best to ignore it."

"I know exactly who it is," Brendan laughed. He looked to the door, and his knowing eyes told me he had known they were there for a while. "Come out, you three. I know you snuck along for the mission, even if I told you not too." To my utter surprise, the door opened to reveal three children: two boys who looked just enough like Brendan for me to think they were related, and a younger girl with blue hair, holding a blue stuffed bird in her arms.

"Who are they?" I think that was the question all of us had. Why were kids here? _Why were there kids here?!_

"My boys." Brendan's smile was warm as he beckoned them over. "The eldest is Lloyd, and my youngest in Linus." He ruffled their hair, and they simply grinned back. This was… a very loving family. "The shy one there is Ursula." He gently held out his hand and waited for her to tiptoe over, and let her hide behind his chair when she joined the group. "Her village was burned by her lord to hide tax evasion. I managed to snag her before her house collapsed on her."

"H-hello…" "Hello!" "Hiya!" The three children chorused, and their smiles were sweet. "Stories!"

"It seems we have a toll to pay," Nicky laughed. I thought of Katarina, and how she had insisted on everyone giving her hugs. "Well, I suppose a story each, then?" A story… each…? Oh dear. We were going to be here for a bit.

But the three immediately cheered, so it was hard to be too mad. But it did make me wonder… how many _children_ were among the Black Fang?

* * *

At some point during the long array of stories told to far too interested children, I slipped into another room with a window overlooking the city. I needed a bit of quiet, and I… was not really certain what to make of Ursula liking me so much?

"I think Ursula gravitated towards you because you're an assassin." Confused by the words, I glanced up to see Brendan walk in, a couple bottles of wine in hand. "Drink?" he asked. I held my hand out without a word, and he grinned. "I figured." He passed me a bottle and sat down next to me, looking out the window. "She has a slightly… twisted view of things, thanks to me. 'Nice people are scary', but 'dark people are safe'."

"Because she was saved by an assassin," I murmured. I sipped the bottle, and hummed a little, startled. "This is good."

"Thing about killing corrupt nobles is that no one cares if you raid their wine cellar." He shrugged. "This is the sort of job that makes you appreciate a good drink." Yes, I knew _that_ feeling. "I noticed you were hesitant at how Ursula kept trying to curl up next to you, and saw you escape at the first safe opportunity. Figured you'd want one."

"You figured right." Still… "Who is she curled up with now?"

"She's with Lloyd, as she normally is. They're close. He watches out for her." He snickered. "The two of _them_ are sitting with Uther and Nicholas, and you can tell how Uther is confused, and Nicholas is just glad to be able to dote on some kids. He got some?"

"He has _four_."

"And clearly loves them dearly." Yes, he did. "I can see it. He's not really doing this for anyone but them." He shrugged as I gave him a look. "Most of the others, you can see that they're driven by a 'sense of what is right'. More in some than others. The Lycian nobles have it particularly strong. Their knights a little less so, but it still shines."

"Well, you are not wrong." I took another sip. "What of the others?"

"Yodel is tagging along to make sure no one gets themselves killed. Urien seems to be tagging along to eradicate the threat to his nation." Those both fit. "Hassar _really_ has that 'this is what is right' thing to him. Makes sense. Really, he's probably the only one in the group not really effected. He just saw the problem, and wanted to help, no sense of duty propelling him forward like the Lycian nobles."

"Yes, that is true." To a point. "Maybe he wants to 'atone'."

"Like Maria, the pegasus knight?" He shrugged. "Nah, don't think so. He doesn't have the same feel as her. You can sense the guilt in her. Helped out?"

"Unintentionally." But, I suppose that was true. Hassar never mentioned anything about 'atoning', and none of his actions really implied 'guilt'. "Oh, but I brought us away from the topic."

"I think that was my fault." He smiled. "Anyway, Nicholas. I'm pretty damn certain he doesn't care about… well, most things. He's got that broken look in his eye, someone who believed in something fully and had that something betray him completely." …I wished I could deny that. "That damages a person, especially if they don't really get help. So, he might want to save the victims, but I'm willing to bet he's mostly here because of some dear friend or family member." That… was likely true. I doubt Nicky would have been so helpful if I had not been among the group. "It's clear he feels he owes a debt. Willing to bet your group helped protect his kids."

"Yes, we did."

"Yeah, he's there for that. He'd stay home, and help mitigate the threat in other, subtler, ways if not for that." Wished I could deny _that_ too. "Then there's you, Huntress."

"I am amazed I am known all the way here in Bern."

"It's just whispers, if that makes you feel better." It did. "But Bern and Lycia share a border, and I travel a lot thanks to the job." True. "You run out of wine already?"

"Nope." I took a swig for emphasis. "Just got caught up in the talking." I pointed to his bottle. "You too."

"True." He laughed a little, and we lapsed into silence, just looking out over the city. It was night now, so the stars were sparkling. "I love coming here. It's always so quiet and peaceful." Yes, it was. "Got another question about the group."

"Well, I cannot promise to answer."

"I know." He glanced at me. "Hassar and Madelyn." …Oh. "There's something there, isn't there?"

"Well, Madelyn admitted that to Uther and me earlier," I whispered. My hands shook slightly. I was… I was really scared for her. What if her father threw her out, like my grandfather, just for…? "Hassar has not said anything, so it is nothing more than a suspicion."

"Doubt he would. You can see it in his eyes whenever he's near her, which is often." Yes, that was true. "He's afraid. He's absolutely terrified. There's something hurting his spirit, and it makes him seize up. Rather like you." I had a feeling he had more wanted to talk about this. "You've got feelings for Uther. It's pretty obvious by how you always make sure you're at his side." Ugh… "Is it because you're an assassin?"

"I had an abusive, harassing fiancé, and still hold residual terror." I kept my voice as dry as possible. "So, not really because of my profession."

"I see." His smile was sympathetic, which made me scowl. "I promise I am not consciously pitying you." Well, that was nice. "I do hope that you and Hassar can work past your terror, though. It is a nice thing, being in love."

"Even with what happened to your love?"

"The end was tragic, but the story was happy." He shrugged. "Even if I had known the ending prior, I would have picked the path every time. Even if the memories are bitterer now, they remain sweet." I had absolutely no reply to that. "I think you lose out a lot more in life, being afraid."

"So, what? You going to push?"

"Oh, heavens no." He shook his head, looking most serious. "That's a quick way to make you both miserable. You two don't need to conquer that fear now. Hell, you really don't need to ever. Just because I think something doesn't mean I'm right."

"…Right…" I needed a subject change. I really did. "You have a recommendation for weaponry?"

"I'd say bow for you, but there's something off with your hand." He went with the subject change gracefully, and I was glad for it. "So, I recommend a sword. An actual sword, not the daggers you use. It'll give you a bit more range in combat, and let you break through guards easier to strike with a dagger."

"Thank you." I could think of it later. For now… "You have tips for breaking spines? That always causes me trouble on a job."

"Oh, plenty." For now, I was going to share advice with a fellow assassin. That seemed 'safer'.

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me, Thief/Assassin. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. Bad injuries to my back resulted in permanent nerve damage or something, giving me a pins and needles feeling in two fingers of my right hand. While I'm adapting, it does cause problems with my grip. I… am falling for Uther. I now wield the 'Chakram'. On Brendan's recommendation, I think I'm going to ask Hassar to train me in swords. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia, Lord. He is INCREDIBLY INFURIATING and stupidly kind. Wields axes. Thankfully, his encounter with Albert this time turned out better than last time. He is very careful about my fears, and is just… very gentle in general with me. He also keeps his promises to me, distressed when it seems like he might not be able to. He's upset that we must sacrifice the few for the many, even if it logically makes sense, and resigned to the idea that we might just be buying time. Likes buying me things, for some reason. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary, Bow Knight(?). Hails from the Lorca tribe. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies. I think he might be falling for Madelyn, but it is difficult to say. At the least, he is very protective of her, and it is clear her being in danger is a great fear of his. Unlike the rest of us, it's pretty clear he puts a lot of stock in fortunetelling. It's also increasingly clear that there is SOME sort of trauma in his past involving a child, and some sort of trauma that makes him scared of falling in love. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· _Maria, Ilian Knight, Pegasus Knight. Though she had been fighting without a paycheck, she's cheerful about Nicky's offer of payment. Knows hand to hand combat. Fretter, but good at flying. Wields lances. Got a haircut thanks to Douglas, meaning her hair is short now. Seems to think Uther and I bicker like 'an old married couple'? Very good at knitting and sewing. She's also skilled in field medicine. Cannot tolerate heat well at all. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· ** _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Falling in love with Hassar, and is surprisingly all right with it. Is rather good at moving quietly, due to sneaking around her own castle, and is perhaps the bravest of us. Or the most foolish. I have no idea which one. An expert poker player. Doesn't mind that we're only buying time, since that's all we can do. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· ** _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae, Cavalier. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He is definitely the type to keep walking forward, no matter what. He is very kind, almost too much so, and very accepting of people, careful to not tread on nerves. That said, he's sometimes a giant idiot. He, Uther, and Madelyn are childhood friends. Upset that we cannot do more than buy time, as he wants to protect his son. Sulky because we had to leave Pherae so soon. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· _Marcus, knight of Pherae, Cavalier. Or is it butler? He's certainly very good at taking care of people. All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. He is cautious and wary by nature, a trait that makes him very valuable. Specializes in lances. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

· ** _Eagler, knight of Caelin, Paladin. While it is clear who is the knight and who is the noble, some of my observations make me think he and Madelyn share an almost sibling-like relation, though her spending time with Hassar makes it difficult to see if I'm right. Still, I think he's acting more like a protective older brother when it comes to Madelyn's affection for Hassar, instead of a knight. I think he's utterly exasperated with all of us. Equal skill in swords and lances, though he is still obviously learning axes. Seems to enjoy watching his lady beat people at poker, given his proud little smile. Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

· ** _Nicky, Count Hanover, Paladin. My dear cousin, who I grew up with. Was a 'young knight', becoming a full-fledged knight at only fourteen. Hates himself, but keeps sane by remembering that others love him. Is fighting with us because we helped his family, not out of any sense of duty or righteousness, in clear contrast to the rest of us. Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

· ** _Yodel, Priest. He has an excellent bedside manner to cooperative patients. He retains his no-nonsense demeanor though, even as a healer, and despite having no weapons training, I'm certain he still remembers how to 'fight dirty'. I'm willing to bet he could knock someone out with his staff. I think I annoyed him by scarring up Brendan's face. Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

· _Urien, Count Reglay, Sage. I know him mostly secondhand, as he and Nicky hung out more in a formal setting than a familiar one. He's a little judgy, but he has the good tact to keep the thoughts in his head instead of voicing them. A powerful mage like most of Reglay's leaders, and he has a son named Pent. Back-up healer for Yodel. Treasure-hunter and scholar happy. Silver hair, silver eyes, 24 years old._

· ** _Brendan Reed, Leader of the Black Fang assassins. (I always forget that unlike most countries, commoners in Bern have 'last names'.) Founded the Fang after killing the lord who raped and killed his wife. Takes in children and 'outcasts', giving them a home. Really, he is too kind to be an assassin, but it is only because of his kindness that he became one in the first place. Has keen insight, probably because he needs to have a good feel for his 'employers'. I dread to think of what could happen if someone, magically or otherwise, managed to pull the wool over his eyes. He is very, very strong. Wields axes and bows. Brown-blonde hair, brown eyes, 26 years old._

* * *

Author's Note: And here is Brendan Reed, before Nergal and Sonia got to him. (I've always subscribed to the belief magic was involved, before anyone asks.) Also have a little Lloyd, Linus, and Ursula, long before they grow into the Four Fangs. And, idk, an alternate take on Desmond? Some insights into the chars? (The safehouse the group is in is the same safehouse that Nino waits in during Fe7 for Jafar, and where Lloyd throws Katri during Four Fanged Offense in Tactician's Testimony.)

Next Chapter – Capital


	21. Chapter 21) Capital

Chapter 21) Capital

* * *

 _In order to solve the conflict, Lord Jason did a bold move. He used his military prowess to seize control of the army, effectively creating a new title: Great General. After doing so, he swore loyalty to the King, and all the Great Houses, ensuring that the Eturian Army could not be forced into a civil war._

 _Lord Cedric, on his end, worked on winning the people of Hanover, earning their trust, respect, and love. By the time the two were done, the two friends had essentially taken complete military control over the country, and with it, delivered a clear warning: cease this idiocy or we will make you._

 _Things quieted down after that._

* * *

"Welcome to Bern Castle, everyone." We were on the edges of the capital city, amazed by how _defensive_ it looked. "There are wyvern patrols all over the place," Nicky continued. He and Urien had actually been here before, for Hellene's wedding. "Though, their visibility is reduced thanks to the fog." Yeah, the fog had rolled in sometime last night. I could see fairly well, all things considered, but we had to send Hassar after Madelyn because we could hear her bumping into things as she went to go practice. "Of course, aside from the wyvern patrols, the only real guards are inside the castle."

"Hartmut picked a damn good castle to make into his capital," Elbert noted. He looked just as impressed as the rest of us. "I never thought I would see a castle whose defenses rival Ostia's."

"H-hey, it never weathered a siege of dragons!" Uther immediately yelped, looking very defensive. It made the rest of us laugh. "Hey!" He scowled, and it deepened when Brendan just quietly patted him on the shoulder. "You're all horrible."

"Yes, we are, but we all horrible people who need to think of a way to infiltrate such a defensive city." Well, that put a damper on things. "Brendan, you mentioned having people within?"

"Yeah, though there's no real 'hideout'," Brendan replied. He shrugged off the looks. "Not exactly a place assassins want to stay long, especially nowadays when tensions are so high. Not a lot of people are amicable in the wake of everything."

"Yes, Nicholas and I noticed that when we were last here," Urien murmured. He crossed his arms, side-eyeing the city. "It was clear the people were devastated by the loss of their crown prince, and did not look kindly on his 'replacement'." He shrugged. "Of course, by all accounts, Victor was the perfect prince and heir, skilled at fighting and diplomacy, the darling of the people. Desmond is a poor to mediocre shadow." I wondered why people thought that if you talked down about someone, they would 'magically' get better. Sure, some rose to the challenge, just to be spiteful, but most just broke under the weight. "Before we infiltrate, Eagler? You're shifting and fidgeting." That he was. "Are you mad we sent Hassar instead of you?"

"No, his eyes are better than mine," Eagler quickly replied. He shook his head. "I just think that they've been a while." That was probably true.

"Here, I shall go look for them," I volunteered, already breaking off from the group. "In these conditions, I have the best sight." We could probably send Maria up, but that would increase the risks of wyvern knights finding us. "Be back soon."

Waving, I wandered in the general direction Madelyn, and later Hassar, went. It was strangely quiet, and some part of me wondered if I might be 'interrupting' something. I doubted it. But I couldn't help but wonder anyway.

A yell, more like a bellow actually, startled me, and I ran towards the sound, wondering what the hell was going on. Still, I could only stop and stare as I saw a heavily armored knight attacking Hassar. Madelyn was left alone, and suitably bewildered.

"Amanda!" she called, waving me over. Her eyes were wide. "I'm sorry! He just appeared out of nowhere and started attacking!"

"And ignoring the easy target of you for the much dodgier target of him," I noted, wondering what was going on. For his part, Hassar was just dodging, looking more and more exasperated. "He say anything before attacking?"

"Something about kidnapping a fair lady?" Oh, great. Hassar got mistaken for a kidnapper. Again. No matter where you went, some things remained constant. "Hassar! Be careful!" At this point, I was actually far more worried about Hassar losing his temper. "Um… Amanda, I don't know how to help, but…"

"Hassar, go ahead and show off." I was not worried. It was pretty clear who was in control of the fight here. "Not sure why you are not handing his ass to him."

"I am _trying_ to get him to listen and solve this without injuries," Hassar snapped. Yeah, he was losing his temper. "But it seems he isn't listening!" Hassar suddenly shifted, and then flipped the armored knight over his shoulder, sending his head crashing hard enough into the mountain side for the helmet to dent. "…Didn't mean to do _that_. He's heavier than I anticipated."

"Are you all right?" Madelyn asked. She ran over to him, taking his hands firmly. "I'm so sorry!" She sighed. "Every time you're out with me, you run into some trouble."

"…To be fair, this wasn't exactly a place one would expect an ambush." Hassar smiled, crouching slightly to look her in the eye. "I'm fine, Madelyn. Just a little winded."

"But still…"

"If you truly feel bad, then please, smile." His words took a very hesitant tone. "Your smile is very pretty, Madelyn."

"Oh!" Her face colored, but she did actually smile. "Thank you. I think yours better, though."

"I respectfully disagree."

"That's fine. Because it's what _I_ think, and I'm not really known for changing my mind once it's set."

Noticing the two of them were in their own world, I decided to let them be and check on the armored knight. He was still breathing, groaning slightly from the pain. I nudged him in the side, to see if he was faking, but decided he was not when he did not do much more than groan again. So, I crouched down and removed the helmet. There really was a nice dent in it.

The knight himself was a bit younger than I would have thought, early twenties at the eldest, with some blood trickling down his face from the head injury. Hassar really threw him, huh?

Footsteps caught my ear, and I glanced up to see Hassar and Madelyn coming over. Madelyn was still blushing, but I noticed Hassar had a look I could only described as 'happy fear'. Happy, and being afraid of it.

"So, this is our ambusher?" Hassar murmured. He still looked a little exasperated. "I suppose we need to get Yodel to treat him?"

"You are very kind to treat someone who ambushed and insulted you," Madelyn grumbled. Her blush faded for an annoyed look, but that vanished for shock when she came a little closer and got a good look at the knight. "…Wallace?!" She knew this crazy person?! "U-um… I am so sorry! He is one of my bodyguards from Caelin…" WHAT WAS HE DOING HERE?! "Oh… this is so confusing…"

This… this was definitely going to be the weirdest recruitment in the group. I had a sure feeling about this.

* * *

We set up camp on the outskirts of town, hiding behind some of the mountains to escape detection of wyvern knight patrols. There, we had Eagler wondering what in all the actual hells Wallace was doing here, and apologizing profusely to Hassar for 'his fellow knight's idiocy'. Hassar looked distinctly uncomfortable by the notion.

Still, according to Yodel, despite the injury, it was mostly a surface one, and it wasn't long at all before Wallace was awake. And promptly insulting Hassar. Again.

"I can't believe a fairy boy threw me," Wallace laughed. He seemed to be in great cheer over the whole thing, which just made things far the more exasperating for the rest of us. Or some of us. Mostly, I was mad on Hassar's behalf, and he was prickling at the 'double' insult of being accused of lying, and… well, I was pretty certain 'fairy boy' was not meant as a compliment? Madelyn looked so exasperated. "We're going to be the best of friends, boy!" I gave up.

"Don't make one-sided declarations," Hassar grumbled. This had to be the first time I had seen him so off-balanced. "You ambushed us."

"Well, yes, because I saw an unknown person with my lady!" Wallace grinned. You would not think he was confined to a cot with the way he was acting. "She's been missing! It was a thing to assume!" Yes, this was all _definitely_ a thing. "But bygones be bygones! I attacked, and you destroyed me, so I think that makes us even!" Never before had so many people wondered if someone might have taken a little too hard of a hit to the head. Never.

"Wallace, what are you even doing here?!" Madelyn demanded. _She_ was definitely angry, and it was clear by how Wallace calmed that while he would 'write off' the attack on a stranger, he would not be quite so carefree when it came to _her_ wrath. "I have so many issues with all of this!"

"Well, I was looking for you, of course," he replied, sounding like it was obvious. I could only glance around the area, and wonder why he thought _Bern_ was the place to look. Perhaps because of her letter to- "I have been since we were separated in Thria." Yeah, uh… we were a long way from there. A very long way.

"I maintain you have the worst sense of direction, Wallace." Wait, had this happened before?

"I don't see why it's so bad, considering I _did_ find you, Lady Madelyn." Well, he did have a point there. "So, who is the enemy?"

"Um…" Madelyn looked so confused. "Wallace, what are you…?"

"Look, you're not safe at home because there's an enemy. I am your knight. Your enemies are my enemies." He burst into laughter. "Let them break their weapons on my armor! I dare them to try!"

"Fine words from someone who got knocked unconscious even through a helmet!"

"That is a testament to Hassar's skill!" Okay, at this point, I was going to leave crazy Wallace in the hands of Madelyn, Eagler, and Hassar, so I crept out of the tent as quietly and quickly as possible. Uther was apparently waiting for me, and I noticed many of the others milling about the camp, doing chores.

"Well, things will be interesting from here on," Uther noted. He, at least, looked amused, though he did look a little sheepish when I gave him a look. "You have to admit. It will be interesting, and a different sort of interesting than our normal." He smiled. "And it opens up different strategies for us. After all, he's trained to take blows. We can use him as bait!"

"Tempting," I sighed. I just wanted to forget all of this. "So, if we can move past the whatever the hell that was…" I stepped to his side. "Plan?"

"Nicholas recommended us checking out this 'manse' that's near." A manse? "Before he went on a patrol with Marcus, I mean." Well, yes, Wallace was loud, and Nicky could fast-talk an explanation, in theory. "But it hasn't been used in _years_ , according to him, meaning it's the perfect place to hide things you'd rather people not know about."

"That is true." I sighed. "So, me, Brendan, and Maria?"

"Brendan went to go check his contacts with Urien." Then Maria and me. "I best stay here with Elbert, Yodel, and our antic group there in the tent."

"Well, yeah, that makes sense." I noticed he looked conflicted, though. "Something wrong?"

"I just worry when you go off on your own." Hesitantly, he took my hand, and kissed it. "So, do, be careful, darling~"

"Uther, some days…!" I tried to ignore how I was blushing, or how my hand tingled from where he had kissed it. I did not like this feeling. I wanted to run away from it. "Besides, Maria will be with me!"

"That does not mean you cannot be careful." Ugh… "Please? For me?"

"You are a very infuriating person." I sighed when he grinned. "Fine, fine, I promise, dear. Now let me get to work!"

* * *

For a place that supposedly had not been used in years, it was remarkably clean, and the inside was decidedly modern. I frowned as I noticed the copious amounts of flowers along the halls and in every room. That was not really a 'Bernese' thing. They prided themselves in 'pragmatic practicality'. Excesses tended to be things like alcohol and extra food. Flowers were more of an Etrurian thing, a way of showing you could _afford_ such luxuries.

"If Albert is here, I am seriously going to shove my lance up his balls," Maria quietly deadpanned as we snuck inside, using a back entrance. It was a lovely courtyard, but there were two entrances, both with easily picked locks. "You can do whatever you want afterwards."

"I think I shall just watch a little girl half his size kick his ass," I replied lightly, mostly to hide the sudden bout of fear dripping down my spine. I did not want him to be here. I wanted him to be _dead_ , and I never wanted to even think of him again. "Keep an eye out for anything."

"I know." She made a face. "I feel like I'm going to sneeze from the _lack_ of dust." It really was far too clean here. "Oh, I hear something." As did I, so I readied my dagger, a normal one in one hand and the Chakram in the other.

I nearly dropped both when I realized _who_ was walking towards us, staring like she had seen a ghost. "Hellene?" I called. She just continued staring. "It… it is me, Hellene." Hesitantly, I took a step closer. "It is Amanda?"

"Amanda…?" she breathed. Just as hesitant as me, she took tiny steps closer, just until she could touch me. "Are you really…?" She quickly poked my cheek, and I automatically flinched back, making a face. "Yes, that is you. You always hated when I did that." Her eyes filled with tears. "You're okay!" I was enveloped in a huge, warm hug. "You're okay… my prayers were answered…" She had been praying for me. "Oh, let me take a look at you!" She jumped back, cupping my face. "Short hair looks nice on you."

"Thank you, though I cannot say it was a 'willing' cut," I mumbled. I almost felt like crying. "Oh, ah…" I gestured to Maria, who kindly bowed. "This is Maria. She is a friend." I bit my lip. "Truthfully, we snuck in for information?"

"I am afraid I live here, so I doubt you will find much." She _lived_ here? What was wrong with the castle?! "But let me see if I can help." Yeah, that sounded good.

"My lady, is everything okay?" I was… really confused to see a small boy, almost frail looking, rush up. "Oh, when did they arrive?" he asked, looking startled at Maria and me. "I didn't… see them…" He bowed. "I'm sorry."

"It's all right, Murdock," Hellene murmured. She gently stroked his hair and he smiled up at her. "Do you mind fetching my tea set for me, though?"

"On it!" He bowed and scampered off. Okay, who was he?

"Murdock is a recent recruit of the army," Hellene explained. She had a small, indulgent smile. "He's a commoner, and a bit weak, so no one expects much out of him. So, of course, Desmond assigns him to me as a 'protector'." Her smile was so sardonic. "Well, I'm not sure how protected I feel, but he's a kind boy, and does his best to make sure I feel comfortable. That alone makes me glad he's here." I was a little more confused now. "Come on, come on!" She urged Maria and me into a nearby parlor. "I was just eating some pastries when I decided to check if I watered the plants this morning." Thus walking straight into us. "Sit, sit! I made them myself!"

"Should I be worried?" I teased. She instantly sulked, and did not let up until I popped a cookie into my mouth. "Oh, wow, this is good. You practiced."

"Of course I did." She still looked a little sulky, so I exaggerated some squeaks of pleasure to make her soften. "You always did know how to pick up my spirits." She looked to Maria, eyes sad. "Ah, but before I forget, do be careful when you leave, Miss Maria. Bern as kindly on 'outsiders' as Sacaeans do." …I was not sure how to take that. "But please, tell me what you were hoping to find?"

Maria and I glanced at each other, and she nodded to me while stuffing her face with sweets. I was the one talking here. "The whole thing is a rather confusing mess," I warned. Her smile said 'then tell me what you can'. "But, basically, there have been a rash of murders, and we think Bellinis is involved."

"I can believe it." Her eyes were dark, and filled with pain. "I overheard the lord of the house saying he would find some way to kick me in the stomach until I lost the baby." That… that… okay, what now? "Few in the court want a half-Etrurian heir." Thus why she made the mention of 'outsiders'. If we were caught, things would get very bad, very fast. "Victor had always reassured me things would be fine, but Desmond…" She shook her head. "He does not exactly inspire confidence." Well, considering he was probably thrust into the role while mourning his _family_ , I could not say I blamed him! "But if someone can make comments like that, I can believe they view others they think 'beneath' them similarly." Yeah… "The servants tell me he frequents a certain tavern in the city. I can give you the name later."

"I shall take any and all leads." Besides, taverns tended to have good information anyway. "Now, I must ask another question." I looked her right in the eye. "Do you think Desmond is involved?"

"Impossible." Her response was immediate. It might have been heartwarming, but the words were flat, and she was definitely scoffing at the very idea. "Katarina has smarter eyes than him." Katarina inherited Nicky's scary intelligence, meaning that was not a fair comparison. "He's been holed up in the archives anyway. Has been since the wedding night."

"I… ah… see…" I glanced at her belly, just starting to show her pregnancy. "That must have been… interesting."

"We both got very drunk, and I got lucky enough to get pregnant after the first night. Now I don't have to worry about his filthy hands touching me again." Despite the words, she smiled, reaching over to grasp my hands. "I am _so_ glad you managed to escape Albert. I wish it had been kinder, but I'm glad you don't have to go through with this."

"Did your father really not give you a choice to break it off?" Had King Gawain been like Grandfather?

"No, he did." She shrugged, sitting back. "But I am the Princess of Etruria. I will do my duty." And condemn herself to misery…

"I wish you picked yourself." The words escaped before I could stop them. "I wish you had not been afraid to pick yourself, Hellene. You deserve all the happiness in the world."

"Well, you and Cristina will just have to make up for me." Her smile shook, and I knew she was ready to cry. "Ah, but there is Murdock. Please, let me treat you to a cup of tea." I knew this was also her way of trying to maintain some semblance of 'normality'. When we were in Etruria, we had a lot of tea parties.

"Yeah, that sounds good." I glanced at Maria to confirm, and she nodded. "Let me tell you some cute stories I have heard."

"Excellent. And when you are done, I will tell you what gossip I know." Perfect.

* * *

 _People_

· _Amanda, me, Thief/Assassin. Once the 'Jewel of Hanover', now the 'Huntress of Ostia'. I use daggers primarily, but just in close-range. Bad injuries to my back resulted in permanent nerve damage or something, giving me a pins and needles feeling in two fingers of my right hand. While I'm adapting, it does cause problems with my grip. I… am falling for Uther. I now wield the 'Chakram'. On Brendan's recommendation, I think I'm going to ask Hassar to train me in swords. Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Uther, the heir to Ostia, Lord. He is INCREDIBLY INFURIATING and stupidly kind. Wields axes. Thankfully, his encounter with Albert this time turned out better than last time. He is very careful about my fears, and is just… very gentle in general with me. He also keeps his promises to me, distressed when it seems like he might not be able to. He's upset that we must sacrifice the few for the many, even if it logically makes sense, and resigned to the idea that we might just be buying time. Likes buying me things, for some reason. I've also noticed that he'll kiss my hand whenever I let him. Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary, Bow Knight(?). Hails from the Lorca tribe. Quiet, but has good and honest eyes, the type you rarely see in this day and age. Fights with bows primarily, but does know swords for emergencies. I think he might be falling for Madelyn, but it is difficult to say. At the least, he is very protective of her, and it is clear her being in danger is a great fear of his. Unlike the rest of us, it's pretty clear he puts a lot of stock in fortunetelling. It's also increasingly clear that there is SOME sort of trauma in his past involving a child, and some sort of trauma that makes him scared of falling in love. Also, he does actually lose his cool. It just took a bombastic armored knight to make it that way. Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· ** _Maria, Ilian Knight, Pegasus Knight. Though she had been fighting without a paycheck, she's cheerful about Nicky's offer of payment. Knows hand to hand combat. Fretter, but good at flying. Wields lances. Got a haircut thanks to Douglas, meaning her hair is short now. Seems to think Uther and I bicker like 'an old married couple'? Very good at knitting and sewing. She's also skilled in field medicine. Cannot tolerate heat well at all. Either has a major sweet tooth, or is so used to sweets not being plentiful that she gobbles them up. Pale purple hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· ** _Madelyn, the heir to Caelin. Often called a 'princess', and many think of her as Lycia's Treasure. Despite the danger, she is determined to help. Falling in love with Hassar, and is surprisingly all right with it. Is rather good at moving quietly, due to sneaking around her own castle, and is perhaps the bravest of us. Or the most foolish. I have no idea which one. An expert poker player. Doesn't mind that we're only buying time, since that's all we can do. Very mad at Wallace at the moment. Black hair, blue eyes. 17 years old._

· _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae, Cavalier. His son, Eliwood, is about the same age as Hector, Uther's brother. He is almost scarily idealistic, but seems rather sharp. He is definitely the type to keep walking forward, no matter what. He is very kind, almost too much so, and very accepting of people, careful to not tread on nerves. That said, he's sometimes a giant idiot. He, Uther, and Madelyn are childhood friends. Upset that we cannot do more than buy time, as he wants to protect his son. Sulky because we had to leave Pherae so soon. A cavalier who specializes in swords. Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· _Marcus, knight of Pherae, Cavalier. Or is it butler? He's certainly very good at taking care of people. All of his actions confirm that he's a traumatized knight who fights for a single person: Elbert. He is cautious and wary by nature, a trait that makes him very valuable. Specializes in lances. Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years old._

· ** _Eagler, knight of Caelin, Paladin. While it is clear who is the knight and who is the noble, some of my observations make me think he and Madelyn share an almost sibling-like relation, though her spending time with Hassar makes it difficult to see if I'm right. Still, I think he's acting more like a protective older brother when it comes to Madelyn's affection for Hassar, instead of a knight. I think he's utterly exasperated with all of us. Equal skill in swords and lances, though he is still obviously learning axes. Seems glad to have Wallace around. Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

· _Nicky, Count Hanover, Paladin. My dear cousin, who I grew up with. Was a 'young knight', becoming a full-fledged knight at only fourteen. Hates himself, but keeps sane by remembering that others love him. Is fighting with us because we helped his family, not out of any sense of duty or righteousness, in clear contrast to the rest of us. Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

· ** _Yodel, Priest. He has an excellent bedside manner to cooperative patients. He retains his no-nonsense demeanor though, even as a healer, and despite having no weapons training, I'm certain he still remembers how to 'fight dirty'. I'm willing to bet he could knock someone out with his staff. I think I annoyed him by scarring up Brendan's face. I also think that he's getting good at keeping calm in all situations. Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

· _Urien, Count Reglay, Sage. I know him mostly secondhand, as he and Nicky hung out more in a formal setting than a familiar one. He's a little judgy, but he has the good tact to keep the thoughts in his head instead of voicing them. A powerful mage like most of Reglay's leaders, and he has a son named Pent. Back-up healer for Yodel. Treasure-hunter and scholar happy. Silver hair, silver eyes, 24 years old._

· _Brendan Reed, Leader of the Black Fang, Warrior. Founded the Fang after killing the lord who raped and killed his wife. Takes in children and 'outcasts', giving them a home. Really, he is too kind to be an assassin, but it is only because of his kindness that he became one in the first place. Has keen insight, probably because he needs to have a good feel for his 'employers'. Wields axes and bows. Brown-blonde hair, brown eyes, 26 years old._

· ** _Wallace, Armored Knight of Caelin. A bombastic knight who wears heavy armor and is completely devoted to Madelyn. He has a tendency to act first, think second, and one-sidedly declaring things as if they are fact. Still, seems he isn't the type to hold grudges, or can at least admit he's at fault. Wields lances. Brown hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

* * *

Author's Note: Murdock is mentioned to being 'in his forties' during the events of FE6, which is 37 years _after_ this. So, I have him at about 'twelve' here, and just joined up in the army. He'll make his reputation in the years to come. Little references to the Bern interlude in Tactician's Testimony. The place where Maria and Amanda sneak into the manse is the 'starting place' from the 'Battle Before Dawn' chapter. Also, have a Wallace, and a Hellene before 17 years in Bern made her jaded and distrustful.

Next Chapter – Cloaks and Shadows (Providing, btw, that I don't add chapters, we're about… 15 chapters away from the end?)


	22. Chapter 22) Cloaks and Shadows

Chapter 22) Cloaks and Shadows

* * *

 _The resulting peace was quiet, a calm before the storm, but no one dared to try anything. Lord Jason eventually married, a beautiful noblewoman named Vivienne, and his daughter, Marie, became good friends with Lord Cedric and Lady Mariana's daughter, Katarina, the namesake for Nicky's third-youngest._

 _If it was intentional, then whoever gave her the name was wishing a lifetime of trouble on the poor girl. It was during Lady Katarina's reign of Hanover that Etruria erupted into promised civil war._

* * *

The market of Bern's capital was not as bustling as I would have thought. Perhaps it was because the city was still recovering, but there just were not many people out. Those that were spent most of their time just browsing, looking longingly at items, but passing by with sighs of regret. I wondered if they had the money. Funerals were costly, and even if the church was _supposed_ to heal for free, many would ask for forcible 'donations'.

Yodel was actually doing some 'free healing' right now, with Eagler as his guard. Yodel mentioned that hurt people would babble quite a bit, but I thought he also just wanted to do what he could to help out. Elbert had stolen Uther for today, Maria and Madelyn were paired up, Wallace had dragged Hassar off, Brendan and Marcus were walking about, Nicky and Urien were doing something… really, everyone paired off and left before I realized that I was left without a partner.

Not that it mattered. I was used to working alone. …Except, I was not, anymore. I was now more used to having someone with me to watch my back as I worked. It did not help that _last time_ I was alone, I ran into Albert. I had to keep from digging into my neck at the memory. The hickey was gone, and Maria's scarf was warm, but I could not forget the feeling.

Singing caught my attention, and I realized I had wandered to where a dancer was performing in the market. She was older than many dancers I had seen; most by her age were killed or sold. But perhaps the scars across her belly, legs, and arms protected her from being sold, even with her bright pink hair and brighter green eyes giving her a very striking look. Perhaps the scars were from those who tried to kill her.

Still, she was skilled. Her voice was lovely, and did not falter as she went through the steps, bracelets chiming and ribbons fluttering. For a brief moment, watching her, it was like I was in another world entirely. Another world filled with grace and wonder. I knew I was not the only one who had the feeling. The small cup she had for coins was overflowing, and it was clear when she stopped that people wanted her to continue.

However, she simply bowed and smiled at everyone, silently letting them know that the 'show' was over for now. As they reluctantly dispersed, she found some grubby kids in the crowd and passed them most of the coins in her cup. Their eyes filled with tears at her generosity, and they waved goodbye as they ran.

The dancer waved too, and turned, still incredibly graceful. Her eyes fell on me, though, and she stilled, as if she had seen a ghost. Carefully and quickly, she weaved her way through the crowd, straight for me. Startled, I tried to escape, but she was quicker in this situation. She was in front of me before I knew it. Damn it… I knew I was getting lax…

"You have got to be kidding me," she whispered, just staring at me. I could _barely_ hear her over the noise of the crowd, so I was not at all certain I was hearing her correctly. "After how many years, and both the quintessence _and_ the eyes are still in the line? They're both inherited?"

"What was that?" I asked, startled. What did she mean by…?

"Oh, I'm sorry!" She smiled brightly, and I wondered if I had misheard her. "Your eyes are very pretty!" Yes, I must have misheard. "My name is Taralis." She curtseyed. "What's yours?"

"…My name is Amanda." It was a common enough name. "Your dance was lovely.

"Thank you~" She giggled a bit before leaning forward slightly, eyes sharp. Oh, she was intelligent. She and I both knew that. "Rare to see an Etrurian here." You had to be, to live to her age on the streets. "Tell me. Are you curious about a certain lord tied to some murders?"

"I might be." This was… strangely convenient. I had to keep my guard _up_. "Why?"

"I know a way into the manor." She beamed at me. "Those kids you saw me give the money too? I got them out of there, so I try to take care of them. That's why I'm dancing again." Oh, now _this_ made sense. It was not rare for a former dancer to take up the craft again for extra money. "But I can't really get anything inside. However, if someone conveniently does instead…"

"Why are you helping me?"

"You have pretty eyes." Okay? "That means you have a pretty soul."

"I'm an assassin and thief."

"One of the greatest, most noble people I knew was a thief. One's profession does not determine your true morality." Her gaze was serious. "You know how life is on the street. That I lived to be my age means I learned how to read people. I'm willing to gamble on you. I can leave, with the kids, easily if things go sour."

"…" I studied her for a long while, and let the crowd pass us as I debated. Finally, I decided… "Okay, let us go." The last time I took a gamble, it led me to this crazy group. The adventure might be beyond my expectations, but it led me to crazy, but good, people.

I was willing to gamble again, if only because the first time had worked so well for me.

* * *

Taralis showed me the way inside. She did not come _with_ me inside, but she remained at the door, closing it behind me. I was instantly alert to traps, but strangely, I did not find any. Rather, I found the remnants of some, as if someone had simply broken them as they passed. Who had broken them? Why had no one fixed them?

Cautiously, I continued through the dark hall of broken traps, wondering where the catch was going to be. When I reached the end, I pushed open the door, expecting soldiers or something, ready to kill me. But there was no one. The door did not even creak.

Still thoroughly confused, I used the shadows of the hall to hide myself as I crept to nearby rooms. In those rooms, I found many useless things. But in others, I found important things. The number of children 'captured and killed', for instance, as well as the number of whores. Missive from Albert discussing the plans to kill Mordred, particularly damning since Mordred was Hellene's younger brother, and Hellene was his queen whether he liked it or not.

But what caught my eye was the long list of names with prices next to him. Was he 'selling' people? Or was this…?

"Well, well, it seems a little rat managed to sneak in." At the voice, I automatically ducked and rolled, tucking the papers into my pocket as I got my feet under me. "A quick little rat at that," the voice continued. I narrowed my eyes when I saw who it was. Someone cloaked, hiding in the shadows. Glittering gold eyes were cold as their owner sneered at me. "Oh, a woman with blonde hair and amber eyes. Little Albert's runaway bitch." The cloak fell away, to reveal a masculine face with long raven black hair tied back in a ponytail. "Well, this is fascinating. He will be so delighted."

"Do I have the pleasure of making the acquaintance of Ephidel?" I asked dryly. I shifted, glancing to find an escape route. I needed to get out of here. "How did you know I was here?"

"Oh, I didn't." Ephidel shrugged, admitting it easily. "I was just coming to pick up some papers." And I was the one too caught up and lax to realize he was coming. It was easier to be careful when there was someone else with me. When it was just me, though… when it was just me, I just could not care as much. "I suppose it was worth leaving the prisoners to recover their quintessence to come check."

"I am so pleased to hear that." I grit my teeth, and palmed the chakram. If I could… "Truly I am."

"Well, I would be. It makes you more fascinating than the torturing."

"Fascinating?"

"Yes, show them a bit of pain and humans all writhe." He chuckled, and the sound made my skin scrawl. "But then there are those like your group, that charge into pain, court death, and yet keep on going. Truly, you are a fascinating group." He stepped a little closer, and I shifted a little closer to the door. I was almost… almost… "My master will be most curious about your group. How much quintessence can he reap… only one of you might be enough for his plans."

"You cannot take mine." The words were bold, and his eyes narrowed. "Go ahead." I held myself tall. "Try it."

There was a brief pause, before he thrust his hand out, a bit of white mist flickering at his fingertips. But before long, he recoiled, eyes widening slightly, and the white mist turned to a grey smoke, his palm blistering. "Well, I had never known the sensation of burning." His words were light. "I will be grateful I'll never have to experience it again." I somehow doubted that. "Well, it seems we're at a bit of a draw." He shrugged. "No matter. This is all just a game, really."

"A game?"

"Yes, it's a game to me, and I get to play with a lord so easily manipulated." He snickered. "Humans have such _ambitions_. Phrase things a certain way, and they leap at doing things they never would have considered." If I lunged, could I kill him? "Well, farewell, for now. My lord has plans, and I must set them up. I look forward to seeing if you can manage to make them fall."

He warped away, and I was left staring. What… just happened? I suppose it did not matter. I had information, and that needed to get out _now_.

* * *

Taralis had actually waited for me by the entrance. She smiled when I returned, and asked no questions. I gave her some money for her help, and silence, and she took it easily before disappearing into the crowd. She still confused the living hell out of me, but I had no time to worry about how weird and strangely convenient she was.

Instead, I delivered the information I got to the others, and was greeted also by a strangely frantic Uther.

"I _told_ Elbert that he had miscounted," he growled. We were waiting for Brendan to confirm something about the list of names I had found, and he and I were specifically in a small room in a nearby tavern, where I was drinking some surprisingly good ale while he paced. "But no, he wouldn't believe me and had the gall to _tease_!"

"I am fine, Uther," I reminded him. It warmed my heart, though, that he was so frantic, as horrible as it was to think. "And I got good information."

"But you're only _alive_ because this Ephidel likes playing around." He turned to look right at me. "I promised you would not have to be alone."

"And I am not." I smiled at him. "And I am alive. There have been many near misses in my life, Uther."

"That doesn't mean I have to like it." He groaned as he finally sat at the table with me. "Just… ugh… I knew I should have just dragged Elbert back. And the hell was up with that dancer?"

"I have no idea." The whole thing was eerie to me. And what she had said at first… I had to have misheard, but it did not change how strange things were. "This is a good ale."

"I'm glad to hear that." He sighed and stared at me. "Amanda?"

"Yes?"

"May I hug you?"

"Huh?" I stared at him, startled, but he looked absolutely serious. "Um… sure?" I held perfectly still as he stood up again and carefully tugged me into a gentle hug. "Uther?"

"I do not like that you were left alone, especially when I promised." Oh… "I'm sorry." But it was… fine. It ended up fine. Uther, damn it, stop being so sad and…

"Whoops, that explains why the two of you didn't answer the knock." Startled, both Uther and I jumped apart, whirling at the sound. Brendan was casually leaning against the doorframe, looking distinctly amused. "You two need to remember to not be in your own world," he chided. Uther simply laughed awkwardly, but I was kicking myself. That was _twice_ in one day… what was _wrong_ with me?! "I have information on the names. Figured I'd go ahead and tell you two."

"What is it, then?" I asked slowly. I made myself start thinking again, closing my eyes. "My guess was a list of people for sale."

"Well, one could argue that."

"…Assassins, then." I opened my eyes, feeling myself being back in the mindset I needed again. "For whom?"

"That, I wasn't sure." He tossed the paper onto the table. "I talked to a couple of the list. The contract was a 'to be determined' target." Most assassins would refuse such a job. "They refused outright, and had to kill the messengers in self-defense."

"That reminds me of a certain someone," Uther deadpanned. I could only grin in response. "Well, I have _an_ idea of who the target might be?" He shrugged, crossing his arms. "If you're keeping quiet, then it has to be someone of high ranked, right? Bellinis is in line for the throne, isn't he?"

"He's second to it, for now," Brendan confirmed. I grit my teeth as I remembered the conversation with Hellene. "The unborn child is first in line, but it's easy to induce a miscarriage, if you don't just kill the queen herself." Yes… "No one would be surprised if Desmond dropped dead. Everyone else died from illness. What's one more?"

" …Then we have to head inside." He shrugged when I gave him my drollest look. "There's no choice. We have to make sure Desmond and Hellene live. Can you imagine the chaos if Bellinis rules?" He shook his head. "Giving the country with the greatest military might of the continent to people who are literally making an army from the dead… if Bern goes to war, the continent will suffer and die." I wished that was not true. "There's no choice. We head in."

"Then you will have Brendan and I plan," I replied with a sigh. I glanced at Brendan, who nodded. "We're in charge. And whatever we say, you will listen to." Uther did not reply. "Is that understood?" Uther finally sighed, and nodded too. "Then let's figure out a way to get inside. This is going to be _the_ most dangerous thing we have ever done. If we are caught, there will be hell and war."

I could only pray there were enough shadows inside the castle to hide all of us in.

* * *

Next Chapter – Shadows of the Past


	23. Chapter 23) Shadows of the Past

Chapter 23) Shadows of the Past

* * *

 _The Civil War was led by some of the 'less powerful' houses, resentful of the authority the Great Houses held, especially with the scandals of the previous generation. Lady Katarina was only twenty-five, and still in mourning from her parents' deaths from influenza, when the chaos erupted._

 _And she was put right in the center of it when the first strike filled Aquelia's streets with blood and she, along with the Lady Marie, were forced to escape with the only surviving member of the royal family: a two year old Arthur._

* * *

"Nicky, walk more on your tiptoes," I hissed, peering down the hall. "You are making too much noise."

"Sorry," he whispered. He rested a hand on my shoulder, to help keep him balanced as he looked back the way we came. "I'm out of practice."

"Should you not be good at sneaking about, mister married man?"

"Hey, I'm not a stupid person. I know better than to be sneaky around the wife. She finds out anyway with her 'wifey powers'." Nicky, you dork. "More seriously, I purposely make noise so that my children can win hide and seek."

"Doting as always." Noticing the coast was clear, I tugged his sleeve. "Let us continue."

"I'm right behind you." Carefully, we ran down the hall before hopping into another alcove, to hide from a passing servant.

Nicky, Urien, Uther, and I were tasked with finding more information on Bellinis, and we had split into two pairs: Nicky and me, Urien and Uther. The rest of the group, led by Brendan and Hassar, were actively hunting for signs of poisons and assassins, and ideally, would quietly remove any they found. This would all work a lot better if no one learned we were here.

But, for our part, information was key. Nicky remembered the layout of the castle, and more importantly, had an idea of where Bellinis's office was, so he and I were making our cautious way there. If we moved too quickly, we were going to be caught, but if we moved too slowly, then we would not find anything in time to help.

"Here," Nicky whispered, stopping in front of a door. The crest of Bellinis, the crest on the signet ring that whore had in her hand, was carved proudly into the wood. "And…" He tested the doorknob, twisting it easily. "Open."

"Careful for traps," I murmured, pushing the door open. There seemed to be nothing, though. "Let us see…" We headed inside, and I shut the door behind us, keeping it cracked so that I could hear the down the hall. "If he is secure enough to leave his door open…"

"Then the important files should also be in an obvious spot." Nicky and I quickly searched the room and desk, pulling out even more evidence that corroborated what I found in the estate. However, we also found what seemed to be a diary, hiding in a secret compartment in one of the desk drawers. And when we flipped to the latest entries, something startling popped out of the pages. Something we never even considered.

 _'That my cousin cannot marry the woman he loves just because she is a commoner is preposterous. That he must marry a filthy, puffed up whore of an Etrurian just because Victor had the bad luck to die is even more so. I will not allow it. Ephidel has promised assistance in ensuring the bitch dies, and that my cousin will marry Morgana as he wishes._

 _'I must admit; despite how much I hate the Etrurian bitch, I still feel a bit guilty about not giving a child a chance at life. But they would have an unhappy life, tainted by her blood. It is best. Only someone with Bernese blood shall sit on the throne.'_

He was not after the throne. He just wanted Desmond to be happy.

"Well, this is…" Nicky began. But he trailed off, unable to think of anything else to say. "…Do you hear something?"

I closed my eyes and listened before nodding. "Yes, but…" But I could not tell where? It was not the hallway. I even peered outside to check. "Where is it…?"

A sudden 'clack' startled me, and both Nicky and I whirled, desperately hunting for the source of the sound. It was not until I heard some grunts, though, that I thought to look up, and I saw a pair of legs dangling from the ceiling. A secret door in the ceiling. I… I never even thought about that.

"I hate this blasted passageway," the person grumbled as they dropped down. Nicky and I were still in too much shock to do much of anything, especially when I saw the circlet the man wore. This… was Desmond, was it not? "Ugh, I knew I should have chosen a different one. Why did I pick this…?" He trailed off, eyes wide, as he realized he was not alone. "Who are…?" He blinked slowly, and I slipped the papers into my pocket, trying to catch Nicky's eye so we could run. This was, probably, the worst case scenario. "…You're Nicholas of Hanover, yes?"

"Well…" Nicky began. It was difficult to lie our way out of this. He had _seen_ Desmond at the wedding. "Okay, this looks bad, and I know it does, but-"

"This is perfect!" He snagged Nicholas by the arm and dragged him out of the room. I had to run just to catch up. "I've been thinking of writing a letter, but you're here now!" Um… er… "This way, this way!"

What was going on?

* * *

We ended up in a remarkably large place filled with books and portraits, all with the lingering smell of musk and dust that characterized old papers and paint. Bern's castle had a 'secret' library filled with records that dated back to even before the Scouring, called the Archives, but I never expected to step foot in it. I _definitely_ never expected to be led there by Desmond.

Nicky and I looked around slowly. He was more annoyed, while I was more curious. Why were we here? Desmond was not in a hurry to answer. In fact, he seemed to ignore us as he hunted through some of the papers, fingers quick yet careful. This was something he had a lot of practice with. A _lot_ of practice. But what was he looking for?

"What is this about?" Nicky demanded. There was no answer. "I assure you that I would not sneak into your castle for no good reason, and I must get on that." There was _still_ no reply. "Hey, don't drag someone along and then ignore them, you-!"

"Found it!" Desmond breathed, pulling out what looked to be some _very_ old letters. "Okay." He looked to Nicky, eyes hopeful. "Please take the Bernese throne." …What?!

"Um… I'm sure there are many other choices besides an Etrurian." Nicky's anger faded away for sheer confusion. "Many other choices. Don't you have cousins?"

"Yes, the same cousins that made me mourn in a 'presentable' manner for a month, and then threw out all my mourning clothes, told me I wasn't allowed to be sad that my whole family was dead anymore, and that I should prepare for my wedding." Desmond's voice was so flat. You could see how weary he was. He was tired and worn, and it was clear he just wanted _someone_ to take everything away so that he could be a person again, not a king. "Not in the mood to trust them."

"Still, I am Etrurian." If people had problems with an Etrurian _queen_ , then what horrors would they inflict on an Etrurian _king_. "I'm not Bernese."

"But you are as related to Hartmut as I am." …Wha…? "Here, see?" He pushed the letters forward, eyes eager. "I translated these. I'm not very smart, but I'm good with languages and codes. I double checked the translations with some others as well, so I know they're accurate." He pushed them a little closer. "Please, read."

"…" Nicky silently picked one up, and I read the contents over his shoulder. The contents, however, shocked us both. "This is…"

"The Lady Hildegarde never married, yes?" Yes, that was true. To this day, it was a mystery as to who was the father of her son, the Lord Alberich. Of course, in the years immediately following the Scouring, no one cared about things like 'legitimacy'. No one knew who was the father of the Lady Maron's son, either, the Lord Martin. "But that letter makes it clear…"

"…The Lady Hildegarde and the Lord Hartmut were lovers." More than that, the letter talked about some chrysanthemums that the Lord Hartmut had sent her. There were so many rumors about the 'mysterious' gifts, and the gardens were filled with them to this day. White ones, for 'devoted love'. Had he known the meaning, or had the meaning been assigned to the flower because of them? "The Lord Alberich was, by blood, the son of Lord Hartmut."

"His _firstborn_." Desmond shoved another paper towards us, a family tree with birth dates, death dates, and marriage dates. Not just of the Bernese royal family, but also Hanover's. I recognized it from an Etrurian genealogy book I had been forced to study as a child. "He was born even before the Lord Hartmut married, and fathered the line that sits on the throne." If the dates were, by any means, correct, then the Lord Alberich was two when the Lord Hartmut married, five when the second king of Bern, Zephiel the Great, was born. "By all of our laws, I shouldn't even be on the throne anyway! It should be the firstborn's! It should be yours!"

"The relation was never acknowledged." Nicky's voice was even, but I saw his hands were shaking. I saw his eyes wavering. He was trying his best to not freak out. "It was never legitimized. No one would accept it."

"But you're charismatic! You can win them!" It was clear Desmond truly believed that. "You're strong and brave and clever! Hanover has had more prosperity under your reign than it has had since Lord Alberich's reign!"

"That is just luck. My grandfather laid the stones. I just reap the benefits."

"No, it's your own talent. I've looked! You make brilliant decisions!" Desmond looked so pleading. "Please? I can't rule. I don't want to rule. It should have been Victor's. I can't take his place. No one will even let me try, but that's fine, because I don't want to. It was never supposed to be mine." He really, really believed that. He was woefully unprepared, knew it, and was trying, desperately, to find a way that would keep his country happy. He truly believed he would be a poor king. I could see all of that in his eyes. "I want to be in my books. I want to marry Morgana as I promised. I want Hellen to have a chance at a happy life, and I can't give that to her. I want my country to prosper, and I can't do that." He reached out, a hand desperately asking for help. "Please?"

"…I can't." Nicky stepped back, head bowed. He was shaking now. "I can't take it." Desmond looked so lost at the words. "I'm Etrurian. Even if I might have Hartmut's blood in my veins, I am Etrurian. I cannot leave Hanover to rule a kingdom I know little about. I detest my corrupt, parasitic, bloated corpse of a country, but I can't run away from it. If I do, then there is no hope of change. Any efforts I make at changing the knight's initiation will go up in smoke." Nicky… "I can't take it. I will be worse than you. I'm sorry. I'm sorry your brother died. I'm sorry you were forced into a life you never wanted. But I can't take the burden from you. I will be _worse_."

He fled. Nicky _ran_ , as fast as he could. I watched him run, and glanced at Desmond, who collapsed, silently crying. I had no idea who I felt more sorry for.

Hesitantly, I stroked Desmond's hair, only able to give some semblance of comfort, before running after Nicky. It was all I could do.

* * *

"What happened?" Those were Uther's first words when we met up outside. We would meet, share information, and then meet with the others. "Nicholas, what the hell happened?" he asked softly, resting a hand on Nicky's shoulder. But Nicky would not speak. He just kept his head bowed, trembling. "Amanda?"

"I have no idea how to explain it," I whispered. I glanced around the park, making sure we were not the center of attention. Urien had gone to purchase some food from a nearby vendor. "I really do not."

"Are we in trouble?"

"It all depends on Desmond."

"You _met_ him?"

"Yes…" I sighed and nudged the three of us to scoot a little closer to a tree. "Had not expected a secret passage coming from the ceiling."

"I see…" He glanced at Nicky, who was still lost to the world. "Is that why he's…?"

"I just told you." I shook my head. "I have no idea how to explain."

"Then is there anything I can do?"

"We could find Athos and scream at him for being vague."

"Hmm?" He snapped his fingers. "Oh, right, he _had_ mentioned something about Nicholas shouldn't meet Desmond, for some reason."

"I will punch him in the face the next chance I get," Nicky mumbled. There was no heat to the words, and when he finally looked up, he looked a little lost. "Mandy, I'm… I'm not wrong, right?"

"…Well, I cannot answer that," I whispered. Nicky immediately slumped, and Uther looked so confused. "In Hanover, in Etruria, you are respected and powerful, something you both earned and inherited. In Bern, you would have to earn it all again, by yourself, while facing the prejudice Bern has against outsiders. You might be better, in time, but it would not be as miraculous as Desmond believes. The reputation you have in Etruria would only be a detriment here, as Bern is Etruria's mirror in many ways."

"Exactly…" Nicky's head drooped again. "I'm nothing but a coward, desperately trying to run away from the past, to make it 'mean' something so that I can sleep at night. I'm nothing but a murderer under pretty armor, skilled at killing. I'm smart, but that isn't something I was born with. I rule well, but that's because it's Hanover. I can get away with things." He shook his head. "There's no way I can't…"

"I wonder what made him think of it, though." It seemed safer to steer the conversation in that direction. "That cannot be something you just stumble onto. He had to have had some sort of suggestion, idea."

"…Maybe the eyes?" The eyes? "Did you not notice, Mandy?" Nicky glanced up again, tapping the side of his eye. "He had the same eye color, and amber… isn't that common." That was true. Growing up, Nicky, Grandfather, and me were the only people I ever knew. Even out of Nicky's kids, only Katarina, thus far, had inherited amber eyes. "No matter where you go, amber eyes are rare."

"Um… do you two want me to walk away?" Uther deadpanned. Both of us jumped; I had forgotten… "I've kind of been just covering my ears, but that's getting to look suspicious." He looked confused. "What happened?"

"Desmond asked me to take the throne, because House Hanover is technically descended from Hartmut's firstborn son," Nicky whispered. It was so hard to hear him, and Uther's eyes widened. "I refused, and ran." He ducked his head again. "I don't know if Athos told me to avoid him because the knowledge would shake me or because it gave Desmond a false hope."

"…And now you are worried both that you are making the 'wrong' decision and that someone who has experienced so much pain will crack because the one out they found is now gone." That… summed it up, I think. "What a mess. I hate vague nonsense."

"Yes…" Nicky might had said more, but I held up a hand, tilting my hand. "Mandy?"

"Someone is coming," I murmured. When I turned to look, I saw it was Marcus, running as fast as he could. "Marcus?"

"You need to go to the manse," Marcus answered quickly, slowing to a stop as he spit out the words. His breath was uneven and sweat poured down his face and neck. "They're attacking the manse." Oh! "And there are no guards besides…" Besides Hellene's little recruit of a protector.

"Then we need to run." I glanced worriedly at Nicky, who nodded, eyes hardened. Whatever mess his head was in, the second a friend was in danger, he threw it all to the side. "Let us go. I know a fast way from here."

Hellene, be safe…!

* * *

Next Chapter - Assassination


	24. Chapter 24) Assassination

Chapter 24) Assassination

* * *

 _The Civil War lasted for twenty very long years. During that time, Lady Katarina and Lady Marie cared for the young Prince Arthur. They were constantly on the run, had to sell many of their prized possessions to buy even simple things like bread. Some stories like to say that they even sold themselves out at night, but the only real 'confirmation' of that is how Lady Katarina did give birth to a son during that time, but records show that the father of Lord Kyrius was a knight of Caliburn, Sir Sean, who taught Prince Arthur swordsmanship._

 _Sir Sean was killed by the rebels buying time for them to escape when Lord Kyrius was sixteen. A year later, he and Prince Arthur were rallying the loyalists to retake the throne._

* * *

We ran as fast as we could. I was worried for Nicky, but he seemed to be just fine now. That was how he was. Shove everything aside except the goal. Ignore everything until things explode. Uther glanced at him every once in a while, but by the time we joined the others, there was far too much else to worry about. There was blood all over the place. The servants, what few had been here, had all been massacred.

"There you are!" Eagler ran up, splattered with blood. "We're all scattered," he explained quickly. I could hear the fighting from here, and wondered just how many assassins he had hired. "Split into groups. I don't know if anyone has managed to find the queen." The unspoken words were, of course, 'I do not even know if she is alive.'

"Right," Uther murmured. Automatically, he leaned towards me, and I smiled when I realized it was his way of saying 'I am coming with you'. I hesitated at nodding, but Nicky smiled reassuringly, telling me that he would be fine. So, I snagged Uther's arm and dragged him off down one hallway. "Idea of where we're going?

"Well, actually, yes, I do have an idea of what to hunt for," I whispered. My eyes darted around, and I let go of his arm to draw the chakram. Just in case. "We are coming close to evening and Hellene at least used to like reading in a small, side room to watch the sunset."

"Ah, so you're hunting for something like that." He nodded, falling in step with me easily. "Amanda?"

"Yes?"

"Catch." He tossed something at me, and I realized it was a sword. "That chakram thing doesn't break, right?" Not that I knew of. "Block with chakram, eviscerate enemy with sword." …Well, that was brilliant. "We all need to expand weaponry. Just in case."

Just in case indeed. "What are you thinking for yours?"

"Lances." Oh? "Not uncommon for armored knights to wield axes and lances, especially in Ostia." True. "I also would love to throw a lance through Albert's heart." The memory of what happened when he and Albert dueled flashed through my head, and I spun, stepping in front of him. He stopped just before he crashed into me, and gave me a curious look.

It still took me a few seconds to gather my thoughts, and courage. "You will not face him without me." My words were soft, and he leaned in slightly so that he could hear me better. "Understood? If we encounter him again, you and I will go after him. You _and_ me."

"Of course." He smiled gently. "I still maintain that it would be a glorious sight seeing you gut him like a pig." Ha… "So, don't worry." Hesitantly, he took my hand and, after waiting to see if I would pull away, kissed my fingertips. "I promise. We'll go after him together." That was… so reassuring to hear right now. "Do you hear anything?"

"You mean besides all the sounds of battle?" I deadpanned. Still, I closed my eyes and listened a bit more closely. "Oh, over here." I pointed down a small hallway. "Things are loud there." I led the way, knowing he would follow.

Of course, I soon realized something rather… interesting. It was impossible to walk without stepping on a dead body. They were all clustered.

"What the hell…?" Uther breathed. I glanced back and saw him nudge a few bodies back, just to create some sort of foothold. I ignored them entirely, just walking over them like they were particularly loose stones. "I'm going to regret this, but have you done this before?"

"When illness or a purge of the 'red light district' happens, it is not uncommon," I answered absently. He definitely sighed at that. "Problem?"

"I am going to force so many reforms through the council. I really am." Well, that would be nice. "Looks like they all fell to an axe, though."

"Really?" I glanced down and saw he was right. Each body was marked with the large, deep, and crude injuries that marked an axe. "Who would be wielding an axe here?"

"Hellene?"

"Hellene does not have any sort of weapons' training, much less an axe." Now, granted, she could have just grabbed one and chopped repeatedly. But if that was the case, I was going to expect stepping on _her_ corpse before long. "The sounds of fighting are… disappearing." But it was still sourced up ahead. "Be wary."

"I think that should be more directed to you. You're in front." Point. "How many people did this guy hire to kill one woman?" Too many in my eyes. What a crude way to assassinate someone. I was actually insulted.

At some point, the hallway, long and straight until now, gained a sudden 'right turn'. When I glanced there, I was startled to find Murdock. Murdock, badly injured, but eyes blazing with determination as he held onto a bloody axe with everything he had. "I remember you," he whispered. He did not relax for even a second as his eyes glanced over to Uther. "You are my lady's friend."

"Yes, I am," I replied slowly. I glanced back at all the bodies and then looked to Uther to see if he came to the same conclusion I did. The wide eyes said 'yes'. "Did you kill them all?"

"My lady does not know how to fight, and I am tasked with guarding her." That was _definitely_ a 'yes'. "The hallway is small. They couldn't surround me with my back to the door." He frowned. "You're not with them, though, are you?"

"No, we ran here to come help."

"Oh, good." His face relaxed for a smile, and then he immediately teetered. "Ah…"

Uther caught him easily. "You did _amazing_ ," he praised, patting Murdock on the back. His hand came back very bloody. Some of Murdock's injuries were clean through… "Absolutely amazing." That he did, but I was wondering if he was going to die…

"Murdock, is everything all right?" The door cracked open and I saw Hellene peer out. She stared when she saw me and immediately burst into tears. "Oh, thank _god_!" she gasped. "Do you have a healer, Mandy?" "Please… please, help him…!"

"With your permission, I'll carry him to our healer myself." Uther shifted, picking up Murdock easily. The boy looked to be fading in and out of consciousness. "I'm sorry to be rude, but I don't think I can safely give my name?"

"That's fine. Please, just help him…"

"Then I'll be going." He glanced at me, and I nodded. I could guard Hellene easily. "Don't leave this room. I'll bring him back here." And then Uther was off.

I nudged Hellene away from the door, and stepped into the room, shutting the door behind us. "Not the sort of place I would have expected," I murmured. There were no windows. But there was a book on the floor, and a set of blankets where she had obviously been curled up. "No window?"

"I _was_ by one," Hellene whispered. She hugged herself, shivering as she returned to the blankets. Noticing no chairs, I simply sat next to her. "But then Murdock saw something suspicious and urged me to leave. Saved my life right there. An arrow broke the window." Yikes… "He took my arm and ran. He had scouted this part of the manse before as a good defensive point." She was back to crying. I used the blanket to wipe her face. "I always dismissed his ability to keep me safe, but he took it so _seriously_ , Hilda! And then…!" Her voice cracked. I gave up on the blanket and moved a little closer so she could cry into my shoulder. "He smiled, and told me it would be okay before closing the door. That's when the fighting started. I heard him fighting and fighting…" She was shaking so much. "In between waves, he would make sure to come to the door and tell me to stay inside. Everything was fine. Just stay in here, and read my book…"

"If anyone can heal him, Hellene, Yodel can." The words felt almost like a lie, but I could not think of anything else to say. "Where did they even come from, though? This many should have been seen from quite a distance."

"Maybe they came in through the catacombs."

"Catacombs?"

"Yes." She leaned back, biting her lip. I used my sleeve to wipe at her face. "They're older than the Scouring. But they connect the manse to the castle." They did? "If they came in there…"

"Then we can chase them there." We had to go after Bellinis. "But first, we're getting you safe."

"And Murdock."

"Yes, you and Murdock." I smiled. "Just relax. We have this."

"Thank you…" She smiled back. "Thank you, so much."

* * *

When things calmed slightly, we split the group into three. Some stayed in the manse to guard Hellene. Some went around the grounds, to make sure no more were coming there.

Uther, Elbert, Hassar, Madelyn, and me went into the catacombs. And, _holy hell_ , it was freaky. Even by my standards. THERE WERE SKULLS LITERALLY LINING THE WALLS!

"What sort of place is this?" Hassar asked, eyes dark. I swore he flinched at every skull we passed. "Can they truly make it to Mother Earth's meadows like this?"

"I'm sure their spirits made it there long before this happened to them," Madelyn reassured. She smiled when he glanced at her worriedly. "They might not even be human skulls."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, despite being part of the Saint Elimine church, Bern does hold onto some of their older beliefs, like the Sacaeans, or so I've read." I vaguely remembered something like that from my lessons too. "So, they might be cat and dog skulls, meant to trick evil spirits so that the dead can pass on safely."

"Oh, good." He smiled. "I am relieved to hear that."

"Speaking of things that are relieving to hear," Elbert began cheerfully. Personally, I was trying to figure out how we were talking, and tracking, while _chatting_. But hey, maybe it was all the practice we got. We ran a lot. "It's so nice that Yodel and Urien were able to save that boy." Nice? More like a miracle. The two of them looked so confused on how they managed it.

"Yes, it was a relief," Uther agreed. He was still covered in Murdock's blood. "Queen Hellene is a very nice lady, isn't she? To cry over a soldier like that."

"Well, who wouldn't cry when a person risks their life for you?"

"Not every lord goes out to apologize to fallen soldiers in the mud and rain like you, Elbert."

"They got ambushed because I gave them stupid orders! What else was I supposed to do?"

"Can we at least pretend to be serious?" I sighed. Though I was curious about the story. Some part of me wondered if it was why Marcus was so loyal to him. "Are we even going the right way?" These catacombs just sprawled on and on.

"We are," Hassar confirmed. He slowed to the stop as we hit an intersection, and pointed down a path. "See? That path is still covered in dust." So it was. But the one we were on was not. "I'm keeping track. Tracking people is nothing compared to tracking a hare on the plains."

"Some days, I wonder how we got such a varied group of people who always seem to have just the sort of skills we need."

"Father Sky and Mother Earth do their best to assist." Well, if he believed that, that was fine. Me? I still was not sure if I believed in things like that. If there was a higher power, then why did so many kids die anyway? "That door there." Hmm? "It is dusty beyond."

"The knob is shiny as well." The sign of someone using it a lot, and going out of their way to clean it. "Now, is the door locked?" I turned the knob and pulled it open easily. "That would be a 'no'." I peered up at the staircase dubiously. Nice and lit with candles. "Chances of a trap are low because this was recently used…" This was so weird.

Silently, expecting something at any moment, the five of us climbed up the staircase. But there was nothing. The most dangerous thing was the hot wax dripping down if we got a little too close to the wall. Instead, we reached the door at the top of the staircase and I opened it slowly, expecting an ambush.

But, still nothing. We were in Bellinis's office again, and I saw two other people in the room as my group crossed the threshold and just… clustered at the top, watching the mess. I knew one of the two people on sight: Ephidel. The others, who was frantically hunting through his desk for something, therefore, had to be Bellinis. But this… this man was… this man was the one organizing all the murders and the assassination? This… this mousy looking man who looked like he could not even lift a sword? Really? I was rather disappointed.

"Who are you people?!" he screamed. Ephidel just waited in the corner, looking amused, and not bothering with attacking at all. "Why are you…?" His eyes bulged. "You're the one who ruined everything, didn't you?!"

"Well, see, you might have gotten away with it if you didn't go killing women and children," Uther deadpanned. He looked so unamused. "But, you know, you're a lot of trouble."

"They were worthless!" The words made my hands twitch. "The dregs of society! The world is better off without them!"

"Funny. I was just thinking the same thing about you." Uther shrugged, and we took it as signs to shift our stances and prep for the attack. "Though, I guess we could just like Desmond take care of you. I mean… you tried to kill his wife."

"That filthy, worthless, Etrurian bitch of a chain!" He was turning purple, flailing about. "Because of her, Desmond cannot be happy! Because of her, Desmond cannot marry Morgana." I thought of Desmond had pleaded Nicky for an escape. I thought of Hellene who had resigned herself to pain. And this man here, when it came down to it, just wanted to help his cousin. "Those worthless, useless whores and brats were a small price to pay for the assassins to do away with her!" So desperately he wanted to help that he made a bargain with a demon.

This whole situation was messed up. I could not be as angry or satisfied as I had been when fighting Albert. Albert was a bastard. He had probably gotten involved just for fun.

"I won't be held accountable!" Oh, he was still yelling. I had not noticed. "You will not take me to trial!" he screeched. To my surprise, he suddenly tugged a dagger out from his drawer and brought it up, the blade pointed towards him. "I am Bernese! I will not let my enemies capture me!" Wait, hold on, was he really-?

A flash of heat, and suddenly, the dagger was clattering to the desk. It took me a second to realize the two events were connected. Ephidel had moved at last, but he did not attack _us_. Instead, he had burned Bellinis's hand so that the dagger fell.

"Now, now," Ephidel began slowly, voice dripping with mockery. "This will not do. No, not at all." He slinked forward, grabbing Bellinis's by his burnt hand. Bellinis turned distinctly green, in too much pain to do more than whimper. "My dear lord, you have not completed your part yet." Ephidel chuckled softly, and his smile was vicious and cold. "We're not done with you, so come along."

A flash of light, a pulse of power, and poof. They were gone. Leaving behind plenty of evidence.

But, as a quick search proved, only evidence to show how he was tied to the murders in Lycia, Etruria, and Bern. Only evidence to show how he plotted the assassination of Hellene.

There was nothing on _where_ he had gone. We were out of leads. For the first time, we had absolutely _no_ leads.

* * *

 _People_

 _Been a bit since I've done this. Sadly, I'm not really up to notes… but I guess I can reorganize things… it's gotten really jumbled up._

· _Amanda, me. Huntress of Ostia._

o _Thief and Assassin. Wields daggers. Learning swords._

o _Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

· _Uther, heir of Ostia_

o _Fighter? General? He wields axes, and wears heavy armor._

o _Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

· _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary_

o _Nomad of the Lorca tribe. Wields bows and knows swords_

o _Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

· _Maria, Ilian mercenary_

o _Pegasus knight. Wields lances. I think she's taking up swords._

o _Lavender hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

· _Madelyn, heir of Caelin_

o _Myrmidon. Wields swords._

o _Black hair, blue eyes, 17 years old._

· _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae_

o _Cavalier. Specializes in swords. Knows lances. Thinking about learning axes._

o _Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

· _Marcus, Pheraen knight._

o _Cavalier. Specializes in lances. Knows swords. Thinking about learning axes._

o _Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years._

· _Eagler, Caelin Knight._

o _Paladin. Equally specialized in swords and knives. Noticeably poorer with axes._

o _Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

· _Nicky/Nicholas, Count Hanover_

o _Paladin. Specializes in lances. Knows swords and axes equally well._

o _Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

· _Yodel, Priest._

o _Healer, though I think he's going to try and learn some magic to help out a little more._

o _Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

· _Urien, Count Reglay_

o _Sage. Tomes and staves._

o _Silver hair, silver eyes, 24 years old._

· _Brendan Reed, Black Fang Leader_

o _Warrior. Specializes in axes, knows bows._

o _Brown-blonde hair, brown eyes, 26 years old_

· _Wallace, Caelin Knight_

o _Armored Knight. Wields lances._

o _Brown hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

* * *

Author's Note: There's nothing in games that mentions a 'catacombs' in Bern. I just added it in. Hints to the badass that Murdock becomes. Protecting someone at the manse, just as what happens in 17 years with Zephiel. Reference to an event Marcus tells Katri about in Tactician's Testimony. Ephidel being manipulative-creepy like he will be with Marquess Santaruz and Marquess Laus

Next Chapter – Dead End (We're about 12 chapters from the ending)


	25. Chapter 25) Dead End

Chapter 25) Dead End

* * *

 _Prince Arthur and Lord Kyrius were named the 'Twin Demons' for their ferociousness on the battlefield. Many modern day tactics were born as they clawed their way across the country, defeated the rebels and uniting the country behind one banner._

 _Lady Katarina did not live to see their triumph, though. She passed away from illness shortly before they reclaimed Aquelia. The first thing the victorious duo did was hold a funeral for her._

* * *

No leads. Dead end. We had no idea of where to go or what to do. Not even two days of hunting had turned up anything. Now, we were camped out on the edge of town, everyone doing drills as we tried to work out some frustration. Marcus and Eagler, for instance, were whacking at Wallace's armor, working on their lance technique while Wallace worked on his stance.

Me? I worked on learning swords with Hassar and Elbert. Or, had been until Elbert got a good hit on my arm that made my hand go from 'ring finger and pinky had a pins and needles feeling' to 'my hand was completely numb'.

"Well, until that point, you were doing very well," Elbert laughed awkwardly. We were sitting on the grass as Hassar carefully massaged my wrist and hand to get some feeling back into it. "I feel confident in you wielding a sword in battle, at least."

"I am positively thrilled," I deadpanned. I sighed, grimacing a little as some feeling _finally_ came back. "Got pins and needles through the whole thing now."

"Then this is a good point to stop," Hassar noted, carefully letting go of hand. I clenched and unclenched my fist, wincing with the pain. "That will be something to be wary of. It seems the damage done to your back has led to your arm, in general, being a good target." Yes, it seemed so. It made sense, but damn if I did not hate it anyway. "For the sake of your health, I suggest stopping for the day."

"I suppose." Sighing, I stood up. "I suppose we'll head into town again to hunt?" There wasn't much else to do. "When did we say we would become desperate enough to go infiltrate the castle?"

"Only in a few more days," Elbert replied easily. He shook his head as he stood. "Desmond seems rather determined to capture Nicholas." It seemed Desmond decided that he was not going to accept Nicky's refusal. I could understand, but it still irked me. "So, it is even more dangerous than before." And it had been rather dangerous already. "Regardless, it seems like Madelyn, Maria, and Uther are done making lunch." That they did. "Let's go join them, yes?"

With nods, we headed over, dragging our feet slightly. Mostly out of frustration. After all, the soup smelled good today, and tasted good when I dug in. But it was a quiet lunch, with all of us too tense to really joke and tease. We had devoted so much time and energy to this that we knew we could not _stop_. But, at the same time, we had no idea of where to go. It was just… vexing.

I wished we could just randomly find Athos again. Punch him in the face for not being more helpful. A second punch for Nicky. That sounded good.

"Ilia." The sudden declaration made me squeak, and nearly drop my bowl. Brendan helped me catch it before I did, though. "Let's head to Ilia." Still, it took me a second to look to the source of the sudden sound: Nicky. Though all of us looked at him, incredulous, he had his eyes losed, his empty bowl set to the side. "I think they might have gone there," he continued, completely unaware that we were startled. "So, let's head there."

"What makes you think _that_?" Eagler yelped. Only Urien, Yodel, and I didn't seem _completely_ baffled. Then again, the three of us had experienced Nicky's leaps of logic before and, perhaps more importantly, were used to just going along with it. "We have no leads! How do you just randomly pick a country?!"

"Process of elimination." Nicky shrugged, opening his eyes. "This group cannot operate freely in Bern, Etruria, or Lycia anymore. Their expeditions in Nabata all end in failure. Sacae is wary of outsiders, and unites again foreign foes. Missur doesn't have enough people for their goals. Leaving only the Western Isles and Ilia. The former might be better for secrecy, but the latter has an easier source of these people's primary targets." He tilted his head as everyone continued to stare, looking hesitant and confused. "Um…"

"Nicholas, you're doing it again," Yodel sighed. He rubbed his temple. "Stepping stones, Nicholas. Not cliff jumps. We've been over this."

"Well, sorry!" Nicky immediately snapped, face turning red. It got a ripple of laughter from the group. "Okay, okay." He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Ephidel warped Bellinis away because we compromised their operations. Bern might be a large country, but logically speaking, if you want to really show your power, you would take a pawn to somewhere it has no power whatsoever." And Ephidel had made it clear he was tired of pretending to be subservient. "Meaning they likely left Bern entirely."

"Etruria?"

"Similar reasons. The morph you described seemed more stoic, less willing to toy, but Etruria is smaller and there is definitely a manhunt for Albert there. Bern might not care about a foreign queen, but _Etruria_ cares about a prince." Therefore, Etruria wasn't safe. For them "They only had a foothold in Lycia through Albert. And by this point, we need to assume that they know that the leader of the group is Lycian. Even if they didn't know it, it would be easy to trace back where everything started falling apart."

"And they won't go back because?"

"Lycia is on guard, and they would be fools to attack there because _we_ would have the advantage. Not when they have better options." He sighed. "I mentioned Sacae, Nabata, and Missur… Ah, yes. " He nodded, picking up his thought path. "Western Isles are separated from the mainland and, to be blunt, no one on the mainland _cares_. But because of that, they likely don't have as much information and, to be frank, outsiders will stand out a ton. It would be foolish to assume the people there will be easy targets."

"And the easy targets?"

"I can answer that one," Maria suddenly chimed in. Her head was bowed, and she was surprisingly tense. She had even stopped devouring her fourth bowl of soup for this. "People care as much about mercenaries as they do about prostitutes and orphans on the street." I… that was right. Mercenaries… Ilia was filled with them. "You don't need an in-person meeting for a contract, and there's no down payment."

"All this group would have to do is vary the contract details, meeting locations, and the signature," Nicky added, closing his eyes. I, for one, tried to think of why Ilia would be so stupid as to not have an in-person meeting. …Maybe it should not be 'stupid', but 'desperate'. "No one will think much of anything if a whole group doesn't come back. And with the mercenaries, they'll also get the quintessence of the mounts too." Two for the price of one. "So, I propose that we go to Ilia."

"We will have to cross the plains to reach there," Hassar pointed out. He had his arms crossed, eyes narrowed. "That's a bunch of outsiders, crossing the plains."

"Nothing ventured, nothing gained." Nicky shrugged. "But that is my suggestion. Does anyone else have any better ideas?" Total silence. "I guess that is a no?"

"It is," Uther sighed. He ran a hand through his hair, shaking his head. "Well, we'd better get supplies after lunch. This will be a long trip."

* * *

We all went into the city, in groups. Well, Nicky did not, for obvious reasons. He and Eagler stayed behind, to watch the camp. But the rest of us went in, each hunting for more information and supplies. Hassar had given us lists of things we would need, things that would be helpful for a group of outsiders walking the plains.

"Remind me why we are waiting here?" I asked softly. Uther and I were in the middle of the market, waiting for Brendan, but I honestly could not recall why he had left us in the first place. "The longer we stay…"

"No one is paying attention to two cloaked figures who are eating on the sides," Uther reminded gently. You would think I had more confidence in our ability to hide since I had been the one to come up with that plan, but with everything going on, I could not help but worry. "But he wanted to check with a contact, and inform his group that he'd be longer than expected." That was right… "Come on, relax… look, a dancer is about to perform."

The word 'dancer' caught my attention, and when I looked up, I realized I knew the dancer. Taralis. She was dancing slowly, with sharp movements to catch the eye. The market crowd gathered around her in anticipation, so clearly, she was a fan-favorite.

It soon became all to easy to see _why_. All at once, in the middle of a bend, the sunlight bent at her fingertips, and suddenly, there were _butterflies_ fluttering about. One came close, and I unconsciously reached out to touch it, only for my hand to pass right through. It was… what was this?

"I've heard of a 'Dancer's Gift', but I thought it was just a 'giving energy' sort of thing," Uther breathed. He was as spellbound as I was, and we continued watching the dance as the butterflies flew into birds. As the birds fell into horses. Each change marked a difference in how Taralis danced too. Quick and playful to long and graceful to strong and slow. "Is this something else?"

"I have no idea," I whispered. Another little jump, and the horses were now pegasi, flying overhead. "We can ask Urien?" Though, if I remembered correctly, there was a lot of debate on whether it and the Bardic Gift were 'true magic'.

"Yeah…" Neither of us were paying much attention anymore. We were just focused on Taralis.

She suddenly spun, ribbons swirling and the 'pegasi' twirling around her. Then, abruptly, they disappeared, merging together to form a transparent _dragon_ , blooming from the turn. It was different than the dragons in the paintings, one with almost feather-like wings, instead of wings of flame. It seemed to roar, light shining around it…

And then suddenly it was gone, and she was bowing to the applause. Her head lifted up slightly, with an elated smile, clearly proud of how the crowd loved her dance.

However, her eyes sharpened, and I realized she was looking _right_ at me. Her eyes were studying, seeking answers to questions I could not even read. Why did she have so much interest in me? Was I just imagining things?

"Miss? Sir?" Startled, both Uther and I glanced down, to see a kid with long-ish purple hair looking up at us. "The name's Legault," he introduced. "Brendan says he has to meet you on the outskirts of town. Guard is coming." Uther and I glanced at each other, wary. That seemed a little… "Also said that if you two didn't believe me, to mention to the pretty lady something about an ale talk where you talked about a Hassar and a Madelyn." Oh, I knew what this was about.

"Bastard for using that," I grumbled. The boy just grinned. "All right, thank you." Sighing, I looked up at Uther. "Well, let us head off."

"Have fun now. I need to go find Uhai so I can go deliver the rest of the messages." The boy bolted off, easily slipping through the crowd. I knew the way he moved. He was a thief, and a good one.

"He didn't seem that old," Uther murmured. When I glanced up, he looked sad. "I hate that I can't help children like that."

"…You are helping a little, now," I reminded him gently. Hesitantly, I rested my hand on his arm. "With these murders. Trust me. That is more than anyone on the streets can begin to hope for."

"That makes me feel _worse_." He sighed. "I wonder… well, never mind what I wonder." He shook his head, and smiled at me. "Thanks, though."

"Let us just get moving."

* * *

 _People_

· _Amanda, me. Huntress of Ostia._

o _Thief and Assassin. Wields daggers. Learning swords._

o _Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

o _Former noblewoman who was disowned, and dealing with the scars of having an abusive ex-fiance. This is made worse by my falling in love with Uther._

· _Uther, heir of Ostia_

o _Fighter? General? He wields axes, and wears heavy armor._

o _Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

o _A kind, infuriating, man who started this whole adventure because he wanted to look into the murders._

· _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary_

o _Nomad of the Lorca tribe. Wields bows and knows swords_

o _Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

o _Kind, idealistic, and perhaps a bit overworking given how quickly he got the lists out for us. Scared of falling in love, though he definitely seems to be developing feelings for Madelyn, and has some sort of trauma associated with children._

· _Maria, Ilian mercenary_

o _Pegasus knight. Wields lances. I think she's taking up swords._

o _Lavender hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

o _On her year field-training, was tricked into helping and now seeks to atone for it. A skilled field medic._

· _Madelyn, heir of Caelin_

o _Myrmidon. Wields swords._

o _Black hair, blue eyes, 17 years old._

o _A gentle noblewoman with a surprising fierceness. She is falling for Hassar, and is perfectly fine by this information._

· _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae_

o _Cavalier. Specializes in swords. Knows lances. Thinking about learning axes._

o _Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

o _Got dragged into our mess by trying to figure out the cause of the unrest in Lycia. Happily married. A far too kind and idealistic person who will likely get killed trying to save someone._

· _Marcus, Pheraen knight._

o _Cavalier. Specializes in lances. Knows swords. Thinking about learning axes._

o _Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years._

o _Sometimes reminds me more of a butler than a knight. Seems to be dealing with some sort of trauma, but clearly thinks the world of Elbert._

· _Eagler, Caelin Knight._

o _Paladin. Equally specialized in swords and knives. Noticeably poorer with axes._

o _Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

o _Protective and perhaps a little stern. He is absolutely loyal to Madelyn._

· _Nicky/Nicholas, Count Hanover_

o _Paladin. Specializes in lances. Knows swords and axes equally well._

o _Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

o _My cousin, a former 'young knight' of Etruria. Still shaken by the revelations Desmond brought, though he does his best to not look it._

· _Yodel, Priest._

o _Healer, though I think he's going to try and learn some magic to help out a little more._

o _Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

o _I think we are good for his 'acting calm through everything' training. Though, I think we exasperate him a lot._

· _Urien, Count Reglay_

o _Sage. Tomes and staves._

o _Silver hair, silver eyes, 24 years old._

o _Powerful magic user like many of those from Reglay, who got involved mostly because Albert was trying to kill Mordred._

· _Brendan Reed, Black Fang Leader_

o _Warrior. Specializes in axes, knows bows._

o _Brown-blonde hair, brown eyes, 26 years old_

o _A surprisingly kind man, especially for an assassin, who was hired to kill us, but broke contract because it went against his morals._

· _Wallace, Caelin Knight_

o _Armored Knight. Wields lances._

o _Brown hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

o _Bombastic knight who manages to drive Hassar up the wall. Loyal to Madelyn, though. And has no sense of direction._

* * *

Author's Note: So, have a break chapter, where the group tries to figure out where they're going next. Nicholas's logic thing is meant to be a parallel to Irene of Tactician's Legacy. I also threw in Legault, and a mention of Uhai, for kicks. I don't think it's ever stated how old either were when they joined.

Next Chapter – Sea of Grass


	26. Chapter 26) Sea of Grass

Chapter 26) Sea of Grass

* * *

 _King Arthur had a difficult task ahead of him. Mending a country ravaged by civil war was no easy task. He had the hatred of half the country to contend with, and that was not even going into relations with other countries._

 _Lord Kyrius helped him every step of the way, though, and they managed to lay down the foundations of modern Etruria._

* * *

A sea of grass. I had heard the Sacae described as such many, many times. But, for the first time, I actually could see why they said that. Cross the mountains, and suddenly, you were in another world entirely. A strange, peaceful world where time seemed to be frozen at a single calm moment. The wind making the grass sway like ripples in a pond. Unlike the actual water, this did not seem to grow 'boring' as I continued to stare. Perhaps it was because I was just so… it was almost unnerving. How strange and peaceful it was.

Staring out, I could only think of how, in Etruria, every single child was taught that the Sacaeans were barbarians. That they were uncivilized brutes. I could only think of how young squires would kill them without thinking twice, because of what they had been taught. The few that managed to 'wake up' would find themselves broken by the knowledge, and desperately try to figure out how to live in the country again. I swear; Nicky probably only did not run away because he had no easy place to run _to_.

"Amanda?" Startled, I dragged myself out of my thoughts and focused on Madelyn. "Everything okay?" she asked me, smiling sweetly. "Do you need a break?"

"No, I'm fine," I reassured, smiling back. It still took me a moment to remember what we were doing. We had made a temporary camp, to discuss the pros and cons for heading towards Bulgar, the 'capital' of the Sacae, or so I had always been taught. Madelyn and I had volunteered to go to a nearby river for fresh water. "You done freaking out over your reflection?"

"I have freckles!" She immediately scowled. " _Freckles_."

"They are adorable."

"I don't want to be 'adorable'!" Well, considering she was reminding me of a hissing kitten right now, I would have to say she was 'failing' at not being adorable. "They're all over the bridge of my nose!"

"Yes, they are." Was this a Lycian thing? In Etruria, freckles were not 'favored', but they were not 'end of the world' for noblewomen. "Staring at your reflection while the sun is setting is not going to make them go away."

"Meanie!" She stuck her tongue out at me and sighed dramatically. "Oh, what was that old trick Mother taught me…? Oh, wait, I think it involved magic."

"Magic?"

"Mother used to be a teacher at Reglay's magical academy before she and Father met and married." Oh, so she was half-Etrurian? "I didn't get her magic, though I've been told I've inherited her 'potential' or something?" She shrugged. "So, any child or grandchild of mine has a decent chance of being a skilled mage."

"That so?" I shook my head, eyeing the river. Our water containers were over-full by this point. "We should probably head back."

"Oh, right. The others might be getting worried." She picked up one of the containers with a little squeak. "Ugh… why is water heavy?"

"I have no idea?" I picked up the other one, flinching as it splashed onto my legs. "Ugh… cold…"

"We're going to have to be careful walking back."

"Yes, we-" A snap. There was a small, quiet 'snap' of something breaking nearby. Immediately, I scanned the area, hunting for any signs of… something. Anything. But I saw nothing. Heard nothing.

But that did not mean anything. Hassar was silent when he moved, still when he rested. Sacaeans were skilled hunters, used to killing prey with sharper senses than a human.

"Amanda?" Madelyn asked. Her voice was soft, as she glanced around too. "Should we run?"

"I do not know," I whispered back. The only sign I had that there could be _anyone_ near was how silent it was. "But that might be a good idea."

"We'll have to leave behind the water."

"Considering everything, I do not think…" Another snap. "Now."

We both dropped the containers and ran, as fast as we could. _Just_ barely avoiding some arrows thudding into the dirt. We ducked under more, and at some point, both of us started shouting, in hopes that the others could hear us and help us out. I still could not tell where the attackers were.

However, Madelyn tripped on a rock, and in the time it took for me to catch and right her, we were surrounded. Surrounded by a group of Sacaeans, all mounted with their arrows aimed straight for us. We shifted to stand back-to-back, weapons drawn. But with so many, it stood to reason that we would not be able to get very far without finding an arrow through a joint.

Especially when the looks on their faces showed they were not going to give us a chance. I had a feeling it was my fault. I could see how they focused on me, knew me for Etrurian. These people had suffered because of Etruria before, and now, they would rather kill an 'innocent' than risk suffering whatever they went through another time.

The sound of hooves pounded the dirt, however, and I knew by Madelyn's happy little squeak that 'reinforcements' had come. Of course, Hassar decided to be incredibly dramatic and _leap over the mounted people_ to join us. I had no idea how he did not, you know, _land on us_ , but it got the people to stop aiming at us, so it was all good, right? I could yell at him later for being reckless, right?

"Let them be," Hassar called, voice clear and booming. Authoritative. "They're friends of mine." So, would this be enough? Was Hassar going to have to explain everything or…?

"You're…" one of them breathed. Their face split with a bright, bright smile. "Chieftain!" …Wha?! "Chieftain, you've come back!" Hold on… what the…? "We've missed you!"

HASSAR WAS A CHIEFTAIN?! WHAT WAS HE OUT DOING AS A MERCENARY?!

* * *

Hassar was the chieftain of the Lorca. Hassar was the _chieftain_ of the Lorca tribe, who wandered the plains close to Bern's mountains, one of the Kutolah tribe's greatest allies. Or, so I gathered from the people babbling at me. They were _very_ wary of me, and even _warier_ of Nicky and Urien. I did not blame them one bit. But nervous people rambled. A lot. It might have also been a warning. 'Behave, or we will call on our allies to obliterate you.' Or something.

Still, they fed us, and the food was not poisoned. That was probably a lot better than they _wanted_ to treat us.

Laughter held my attention as I drank my tea, watching the others interact. The Etrurians in the group kept their distance, like me, but the rest? Well, Madelyn was in the middle of having her hair brushed and braided by laughing children. Uther and Elbert were playing with some of the boys. Marcus was helping tend to some crying toddlers, while Eagler and Wallace had been dragged into storytelling. Brendan was teaching some of the older kids some self-defense techniques. Maria was taking some of the braver souls flying. Hassar… well, he had been in the middle of all of it, as it seemed like _everyone_ in his tribe insisted on giving him a 'welcome back' hug. Clearly, he was well-liked, and his tribe was glad to see him.

But now? I could see him slipping away, out of the camp entirely. So, curious, I set down my empty mug and followed him.

He did not go very far, really. The camp was still within sight as he ducked into a little grove by the riverside, ringed with trees with pretty moss hanging down and dotted with colorful flowers that gleamed in the moonlight. When he stopped, I almost called out, but the words dried up when I was why he had stopped. There, just in front of him, were two carefully tended to mounds, with fresh flowers.

Graves. And one of them… one of them looked very, _very_ small.

"You do not have to hang back." Hassar glanced over his shoulder and smiled at me wryly. I had little doubts he had known I was following the whole time. "It's more awkward knowing that you're standing there," he chided, beckoning me forward. "They won't mind."

"Who are they?" I asked, cautiously walking closer. They didn't seem that 'old' of graves. The local plants had not yet claimed them completely. "May I be so nosy?"

"I don't see why not." Still, Hassar fell silent, looking at the graves as the wind blew, tugging at our clothes. "Among Sacaeans, our 'wills' are where we wish to be buried. They are places where, in life, we think we will most easily reach Mother Earth's meadows. They don't have to be on the plains, but most often, they are."

"I see." I looked around the area, noting how serene it felt. How pretty. "I can see why they chose this place."

"Well, she chose it." He sighed, bowing his head. "These are the graves… of my wife and son." …Oh… "We had been married for a year. Our son was six months old." That… explained so much.

But it also reminded me of something. How the Lorca acted. His sharp eyes when he asked about the 'knight initiation'. "It was… during an initiation… was it not?"

"Yes." He closed his eyes, clenched his fists. "We had gone to visit the Djute for some trading. They wander closer to Etruria, but keep their distance of the border. We all thought we were far enough, so we had gone on a hunt. But while the hunters were away…" The squires came to 'play'. "We came back to fire and blood. My wife, Sarah, was already dead, curled around our son protectively. But still, the fires claimed him. The fires and blades claimed many that day."

"…I am sorry…" How long ago was this? Had I been…?

"You were not even in Etruria when it happened." It hurt that I felt relieved. "Nicholas, from my understanding, had left service. It makes it easier." He laughed bitterly. "Not much easier, mind." I had a whole new appreciation for him. For what he perceived as the greater good, he never once let it show. "But easier."

"Hassar…" I looked over at the graves again. If they were buried here, then he would have had to carry their bodies all the way across the plains, just because her will asked for her to be buried here. That whole time… "I guess this is why you're scared of your feelings for Madelyn, huh?"

"…Those feelings are simply pointless…" He shook his head. "I couldn't keep my promise to Sarah. I couldn't fulfill my vow to protect her, as I swore the day we married. I couldn't even keep my son safe. I can't love anyone."

…But yet… "She loves you, you know." He had to have noticed. He was too observant not to.

"She doesn't know my failure."

"Considering who she's friends with, I doubt she'll care."

"She won't leave her life in Lycia."

"You really shouldn't make decisions for her." I shook my head. "I know you are scared, but Hassar, you should not-"

"Do _not_ lecture me." His eyes sparked with anger as he whirled, facing me. "Especially when you run from your own feelings!" I… "If I noticed Madelyn's, then I definitely noticed yours for Uther!"

"D-do not change the subject!" How dare he bring that up?! "We are speaking of you!"

"Perfectly fine to tread on my scars, but now you panic when someone treads on yours?"

"Your wife is _rotting in the dirt_!" My words made him flinch. Some part of me was horrified I spat the words out. But the rest was just lashing out, like a child, angry at the world. "My ex-fiancé is responsible for the deaths of hundreds of women and children, and almost killed the first person to be kind to me in _five years_ just because he was associated with me!" My eyes were burning. "What scars?! _I'm still bleeding_!"

I turned away, running as fast as I could. I might have heard someone call after me, but I did not stop, even as the world blurred from tears. Even as my feet ached.

It seemed like forever before I tripped and crashed face-first into the ground. Mud, actually. It had started to rain. The water was cold as it pounded my back, but it did not quite hide how much I cried.

Damn you, Albert. I would give anything to be rid of you forever.

* * *

Next Chapter – Lost


	27. Chapter 27) Lost

Chapter 27) Lost

* * *

 _From there, the story becomes rather much the same. Building, rebuilding. Regaining trust, regaining power. It took a long time for Etruria to recover from that civil war, or at least, it always seemed to last a long time._

 _It was not until my grandfather's grandfather was a child that you could say Etruria was 'healed'. But then, there were new problems._

* * *

The rain was rather brutal, but it was a very short storm. It cleared after a moment. However, by that point, I was muddy and probably resembled a drowned rat more than a person. I was also completely lost, so I just put one foot in front of the other and hunted for a place to stay for the night. Staying in place while in the plains where anything could get me was… probably not a good idea. Assuming anyone was looking for me at the moment anyway. I would not blame them if not. I felt _horrible_ about what I said to Hassar. It was not right for me to lecture him, especially when I _did_ run away too. It was highhanded, preachy, and then speaking like his pain was in any way less to mine… the guilt was almost enough to make me sick.

Sighing, I pushed some hair out of my face, and narrowed my eyes. There was a light in the distance, almost like a campfire, so I headed for it. I could only hope the Sacaeans I came across would not mind putting an Etrurian up for the night. I would not blame them if they did not wish to risk it.

As I got closer, though, I noticed some very odd things. The light was 'too much' for a simple campfire, and I thought I heard screams. Had a fire gone out of control? I started to run, to see if I could help, and I heard the sound of metal clinking, clanging, slicing. What was going…?

I stumbled on the edge of the camp, and could only stare as I realized what was going on. The people here, all women and kids, were under attack. But that was not what shocked me.

It was the fact that _Etrurians_ were attacking, even though we were on the _Bernese_ border. What was this? How did this happen? Why did this happen? Was this an initiation? Had they come so far to find targets?

No time. People were dying. I had to do _something_.

 _"A hunting I will go, a hunting I will go. Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting I will go."_

The nursery rhyme came easily as I stole a sword from a corpse and leapt into the fight. It was one of my favorites, growing up, and Nicky and I used to sing it often. In those days, though, we had hunted imaginary foes, pretending to be the legendary heroes who beat up all the dragons, knights who saved the princess from the evil sorcerer who had kidnapped her. Now? Now, I was hunting evil knights. Funny.

 _"A hunting I will go, a hunting I will go. I'll catch a fox and put him in a box and then I'll let him go."_

I stabbed the first one in the back, ripping through his spine in an explosion of blood. It was not so difficult to loosen the armor, after all, and if you moved quick enough, the knight died before he knew what happened. Like now. The child I saved scurried off without a word, but I did not mind. I was already going for the next target.

 _"A hunting I will go, a hunting I will go. I'll catch a fish, and put him on a dish, and then I'll let him go."_

The next one only wore chest armor, nothing to protect his stomach. I eviscerated him, and kicked him to the side so that he would not fall on the woman trying to protect a baby. She gave me a smile in thanks as she ran, and I thought briefly of how Hassar said his wife died.

 _"A hunting I will go, a hunting I will go. I'll catch a bear and cut his hair and then I'll let him go."_

The next two were swift decapitations. After all, they were going after toddlers holding a baby, and I did not even wish to chance them getting hurt. They stared at me like I was not quite human, but a woman swiftly got them. She shouted her thanks over her shoulder, and I thought the children babbled of 'Father Sky' protecting them.

 _"A hunting I will go, a hunting I will go. I'll catch a pig, and dance a little jig and then I'll let him go."_

The rest few were a blur. I did my best to dodge attacks as the knights slowly began focusing on me, leaving the women and kids to escape. I took some injuries, though, but I did not give up. Those I struck died within seconds. An assassin's greatest weapon might be in ambush, but I had gone through enough to be a deadly force without shadows, it seemed.

 _"A hunting I will go, a hunting I will go. Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting I will go."_

The air crackled and I screamed as I was suddenly hit with _something_ that sent me crashing through the wall. The static told me it was some sort of thunder magic. The distance between me and the only tome wielder I could see told me it was a _bolting_.

That the tome wielder was Ephidel told me that maybe we had been wrong about them not targeting the Sacae.

"Oh, well, I didn't expect our little rat to be you," he noted calmly, tilting his head almost curiously. "Hmm, and here I thought it would be a waste coming out here." He looked down at something I could not see as I struggled to keep my footing. "Albert. Look who's here." Oh, hell…

"Ah, it seems I am favored indeed." Albert stepped out of the shadows of a burning tent, and I had the overwhelming urge to be ill. "Aw, you look like such a wreck. What _have_ you been doing to your pretty face?" he asked, voice dripping with mockery. I ground my teeth and brought up the sword. "Careful, my dear. You will hurt yourself." My skin was crawling. "Goodness, such fuss over savages. Worshiping the dirt of all things. Better they were purged."

"Will you just shut up for once in your life?" I growled. I wanted, desperately, to just attack him, but I could not get my legs to move. They were frozen from fear. He was here, and I was alone, surrounded by enemies. I was so scared. "You are killing kids."

"They're little better than rats." He scoffed, and I thought of Hassar, who lost so much to men like Albert. "I don't see why you're getting so angry over a few dead. After all, Nicholas killed them during his initiation, didn't he?" W-well…

"I would thank you to keep my name out of your mouth." Everything stilled as Nicky stepped out from the flames, lance in hand and murder in his eyes. "I have many regrets, but I swear, the day I only cracked your face instead of your skull remains up there," he growled. "That _really_ needs to get rectified."

"You?!" Albert yelped, taking a step back. His eyes shook a little, and I knew why. He was afraid. He had always been afraid of Nicky, because he knew, better than anyone alive, just how _dangerous_ Nicky was when he lost his temper. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for my cousin." Yeah, but how did he get _here_? "Hassar remembered the direction she ran, and Maria scouted. She saw Mandy disappear into the fires here and went to get the others. I just happened to be first, and what do I find?" Nicky's voice was little more than a growl. "Etrurians killing innocent people. Again. What a _shock_."

"Don't act so high and mighty! With so many, even you can't-!"

"Do you think I will hesitate in killing Etrurians? It was no coincidence that I, alone, survived my initiation." He shifted slightly, radiating his intent to kill. "I killed my fellows. The people I laughed with, trained with, shared my meals with… I killed them all, that day. Killing a stranger? That's _so_ much easier."

"You…" Albert took another step back, and I glanced up at Ephidel. _He_ looked amused by all of this. "You actually got away with it?"

"Funny how the survivors are always the ones that get to make up the story." He rolled his eyes, and glared at the others. I almost laughed as they started to shake. They knew Nicky by reputation. "Come, good knights! Today is the day you enter hell, but I will give you a choice as to how you enter!" The lance came up, and his eyes were dark with rage. "On your knees, or with a weapon in your hand!" But that reputation was forged from his calmness.

All of Etruria knew you did not anger House Hanover. Nicky and I showed them why we had that reputation.

 _"A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go. Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go."_

Nicky attacked from the front. Strikes to the legs to unbalance and let him easily, brutally, cut down his attackers. Using the shaft of the lance as a lever to crush throats, snap necks. Kicks to the groin to knock people down so he could more easily drive his spear through their heads.

 _"A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go. We'll catch a fox and put him in a box and then we'll let him go."_

With him being the main attacker, I slipped into the shadows to ambush. Hacking off limbs and kicking them into the flames, to either burn or bleed out. Decapitations. Evisceration. Blood flew, almost like rose petals in the wind.

 _"A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go. We'll catch a fish, and put him on a dish, and then we'll let him go."_

At some point, 'light' met 'shadow', and Nicky and I were back to back as the Etrurian knights circled up trying to kill us through numbers. I flipped over Nicky's head as he spun to take out a knight attacking me, and brought down my sword on another's shoulder, slicing through their chest and throat.

 _"A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go. We'll catch a bear and cut his hair and then we'll let him go."_

The air crackled, and Nicky and I both jumped out of the way. A bolting crashed down where we were, scorching the earth. Nicky and I shared a look and split up again. He would handle the knights. I would go after Ephidel.

 _"A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go. We'll catch a pig, and dance a little jig and then we'll let him go."_

It was easy, sliding to where he was. But he was expecting me, and had discarded bolting for elfire. He cast it as soon as he caught sight of me, and I rolled under it, popping back up and aimed right for his chest. But a sword blocked it, and I was face to face with Albert.

 _"A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go. We'll catch a mouse and put him in a house, and then we'll let him go."_

His eyes were murderous, accusing. 'How _dare_ you not flop over and whimper like you used to. That was what his eyes screamed. But even as my legs shook, I stood firm, ready to fight. I was not so good with a sword yet that I could beat him in a straight fight, but perhaps I could…

 _"A hunting we will go, a hunting we will go. Heigh ho, the dairy-o, a hunting we will go."_

An arrow flew past my ear, catching Albert in the shoulder. The sound of wings and shouts made me look up and back, and I realized the others had arrived. The arrow… had been from Hassar, standing not far away with Madelyn at his side. They were…

"Well, I say this experiment has to come to an end," Ephidel noted lightly. He snagged Albert by the shoulder, and bowed politely. "I must, regretfully, leave once again. Perhaps we will have more fun at our next meeting."

Then, with a flash, he was gone, Albert with him. The knights they must have brought here were not so lucky. They were all _dead_.

"Can someone explain to me why he's so important to this big bad boss person that his morph _keeps saving him_?" The words made me turn, again, and this time I saw Uther walking up, smiling at me. "Hello, darling," he teased. I rolled my eyes and he laughed. "Well, not what we expected. But seems like most everything is all right? Sorry for being late. We found the survivors first and split up to help them make it to the Lorca."

"So, they are going to be well?" I asked softly. When he nodded, I breathed a sigh of relief. "Good…" I winced, though, as my body started _screaming_ from pain. Every bit of me ached, and even the most minor of cuts just burned. "Ugh…"

"Serves you right for running off!" _That_ was Yodel, and he looked ready to hit me over the head with his staff. "Hold still," he ordered firmly. "You are very injured and I am _very_ unhappy right now." Oh dear. "Honestly, this is just like the flood." The… oh!

I laughed. I could not help it. Because he was right. I _had_ once run away during a storm, and got in trouble because the rivers had flooded. It had been shortly before I told Grandfather I wanted to break my engagement to Albert. It had been the last time, really, that I had ever thought of Grandfather as someone who would keep me safe, since he had spent all night looking for me.

So, I laughed. I laughed and laughed. I had no other reaction to that memory, anymore.

* * *

After I got healed, and after confirming there were no more enemies, we returned to the Lorca, who greeted us with warm towels, and dry clothes. They seemed significantly less wary of Nicky and me now, and I wondered if it was because the survivors of the attack thanked us so much.

"I wonder what ever happened to that tribe," Nicky whispered. He and I were bundled up in some blankets, sipping a tea one of the older women _insisted_ we drink. Something about 'restoring our spirits' after a fight? Whatever it was, it was good. "The tribe I was supposed to kill, back then."

"So, you really did kill your fellows," I murmured. I was not surprised. I truly was not. "What made you…?"

"What made me snap out of the mentality that we were raised in?" His voice was dry, and I could only nod. "I don't think it helped that I thought the whole thing odd to begin with. You always hear the stories of how they terrorize or kidnap innocent people for deranged rituals, but a quick look at the records proves that there is not a _single_ case of that." He would know. He loved reading, studying. "When the attack started, the initiation started, I at first that this was a revenge for such an incident. That maybe it just never made it to the records, to quiet the chances of a campaign through the plains."

"Then what happened?"

"Then I saw a child be skewered." He started shaking. "Skewered, and thrown to the side, left to bleed out as he struggled to keep his intestines inside his body." Oh… "At that point, I didn't care if it was revenge. Nothing was worth killing a child. When I saw a sword flash down, I blocked it to keep the child safe." He laughed bitterly. "A child being protected by his sister, who looked to be _my_ age." Nicky had been fourteen. I remembered the day he came back clearly. "I screamed at the others, begged them to stop, but they laughed, saying they were doing gods' work by purging the savages."

"So, you fought."

"I fought to buy time. I fought to try and keep them safe. When the others turned on me, I fought to stay alive. Not because I wanted to live at that point, but because if I fell, I knew they would go after those who ran." He closed his eyes. "I remember that little boy. I remember his sister. I remember the friend they picked up and ran with, after I saved them. They were the only three to look back as they ran. The friend was a boy named 'Monke'; they called him that, at least. The little boy was named Ender. He told it to me as he ran. His sister's name was Zahra."

"You still remember."

"I have nightmares of that day." He sighed. "And, you know… being told what happened to Hassar's wife and son just… brought it back. The fight today didn't help."

I imagine so. "He told you, then?"

"No, the Lorca did. They were under the impression we knew already." Awkward… "Then, of course, while we were in the middle of trying to figure out a tactful way to tell Hassar, he comes back, and we find out you ran, and by the way, it's raining really hard. He thought you ran back to the camp." Ahaha… ha… "I think I need to walk."

"I think I need to as well." I stood slowly, setting my empty cup to the side and stretching. "I promise to not get lost, so do not fret."

"Yes, yes." He stood as well and gave me a quick hug. "Love you, Mandy."

"Love you too, Nicky." We shared a little laugh before walking in opposite directions. I made my way towards the edge of the camp, mostly to have a bit of quiet. I was startled to see Madelyn by the edge too, looking contemplative.

"Oh, Amanda!" she greeted, facing me with a smile. "How are you feeling?"

"Eh, so-so," I answered. I studied her face, and noticed she seemed rather… sad. "What's got you mopey?"

"Oh, goodness, am I coming across as that?" She sighed, whimpering a little at the end. "I did not mean to mope, just…" She shook her head, drooping. "I was just thinking. I'm pretty certain by now that I am in love with Hassar." Yeah, most of the group was certain of that. "But…"

"But?"

"But he lost his wife and child." …Oh, I got it now. "So, maybe I should give up on these feelings." She felt inadequate. She felt like she was trying to take someone's place.

"I don't think you have anything to worry about, Madelyn." I smiled at her. "I think you should just… do as you do. Are you going to confess?"

"I haven't decided." She glanced at me. "After all, there is not only that, but… if he is the Chieftain, then he will have to return to here. Meaning that if I wanted to be with him, I would have to leave everything I know."

"Yes, you would." There was no hiding that.

"So, I also have to decide if these feelings are worth risking that." She smiled shyly, though. "You really think I have a chance?"

"Well, yes, but I suppose the main issue is whether or not _you_ feel like you do."

"I suppose." She sighed. "I guess I'll think on it more." She got a thoughtful look on her face. "Hey, Amanda?"

"Yes?"

"What about you and Uther?" …I… "Do you shy away because you think you do not have a chance?"

I hesitated in answering, glancing to the side. When I did, I saw Hassar and Uther were walking up. And so, I swallowed my fear, and worked up what courage I had left to explain. "Albert and I were betrothed when we were toddlers. It's not atypical in Etruria." I focused my gaze on the sky, even as I heard Uther and Hassar pause a short distance away. "When I was about six, I got a… child's crush on a stableboy. I told Albert about it. The next day, the stableboy was beaten black and blue, missing teeth and with broken arms."

"That's…!" Madelyn gasped, and I knew her eyes were wide.

"The second time I got a crush, something similar happened. The third just vanished. Even those who I smiled too sweetly at, too warmly… something would happen to them. I figured out, after a while, that Albert was the one responsible." I automatically looked towards the ground, clenching my fists to keep from shaking. "I thought it was my fault. I was a 'bad fiance' for having feelings for someone other than him. All of their injuries… were my fault." I worked up the courage to glance at Madelyn, and smiled when she looked ready to cry. "I… ah… well, I'm not sure if that answers your question, but…"

"Can I hug you?" Huh? "I think you could use a hug, but I'm not sure if you're up for being touched when you had to recall such creepy memories."

"…Sure." I still tensed as Madelyn hugged me, but she kept the hug loose, gentle, and I soon relaxed. "Thanks."

"Anytime." She pulled away, giggling. "We're friends forever, after all~" What. "What's with the look of surprise? You're not getting rid of _me_ easily." Ha… I suppose so. "Come on. Let's snag Maria and have girl talk." Uh…

She still waited for me to nod before dragging me off. When I glanced back, I saw Uther smiling and waving, and Hassar laughing a little, but with eyes that understood.

That… that was good. That was… very good.

* * *

Madelyn, Maria, and I ended up talking nonsense for a very long time. Everything from ways to keep your skin from getting chapped while flying to what colors suited everyone in the army best.

At some point, though, Madelyn nodded off, looking almost like a little kid, and Maria and I rested at the entrance to the ger we were borrowing to make sure we didn't wake her.

"So, what prompted all of this?" Maria asked softly. I knew she had been wondering about it all night. "She seemed extra determined to make you laugh."

"I told her a bit of my past," I replied. I looked outside, the flap pinned up to let the wind flow through, and studied the stars. "Sorry."

"Nah, I don't mind." She shook her head, and gave me a confused look. "But why tell her? Doesn't seem like something you'd just say."

"It was in response to her asking about Uther." The knowing look in Maria's eyes just made me sigh. "Hey, Maria?"

"Yes?"

"Do you think Hassar and I are being silly?"

"Mmm, don't know." She shrugged. "Never been the type to have a crush, myself. Just never something that interested me, romantic love. I loved watching it bloom in friends, but that was because they would be happy." She looked right at me. "But, from my point of view, I can't help but wonder if you two are hurting yourself _more_ by running away."

"Oh?"

"Yeah, I mean. You look ready to cry just asking." I… suppose… "Hassar shakes at the mere thought. So, you two run. But you hate yourselves for running, _and_ you're in pain because even if love brings happiness, it brings pain too. Ilians know that, better than anyone." She smiled. "So, I don't know. Maybe you two can try anyway. I'm an Ilian. Our lives are short, so I'm not really good at 'waiting and seeing'."

"Oh." I sighed, glancing at Madelyn, mumbling something in her sleep. "I'll… think about it."

"Yeah." Her smile warmed. "Besides, Amanda?"

"Yes?"

"Albert might have tainted a lot of things, but he's not a chain. You're free of him. It's okay to think about your own life and happiness. So long as we all work together, we're definitely going to kill him. So, don't let him steal a chance at you being happy. No matter what happened in the past, or whatever he said or did to make your skin crawl… you deserve to be happy."

"Maria…" I wasn't quite sure why, but all I could do was break down in tears. "Sorry…"

"It's fine. I think you needed the reminder." She patted her shoulder and let me rest against it as I quietly cried. "When you can, talk to Elbert or Brendan. Well, or Nicholas, but I think he's got too much in his head at the moment to give you _good_ advice. But those two can, I think."

"I'll think about it."

"Good."

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me. Huntress of Ostia._

o _Thief and Assassin. Wields daggers. Learning swords._

o _Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

o _Former noblewoman who was disowned, and dealing with the scars of having an abusive ex-fiance. This is made worse by my falling in love with Uther._

o _Probably due to all the fighting, but I've gotten skilled at killing even without the need for ambushes._

· _Uther, heir of Ostia_

o _Fighter? General? He wields axes, and wears heavy armor._

o _Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

o _A kind, infuriating, man who started this whole adventure because he wanted to look into the murders._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary_

o _Nomad of the Lorca tribe. Wields bows and knows swords_

o _Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

o _Kind, idealistic, and perhaps a bit overworking given how quickly he got the lists out for us. Lost his wife, and baby son, to Etrurian squires, and is now terrified of falling in love, even as he develops feelings for Madelyn._

· ** _Maria, Ilian mercenary_

o _Pegasus knight. Wields lances. I think she's taking up swords._

o _Lavender hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

o _On her year field-training, was tricked into helping and now seeks to atone for it. A skilled field medic._

o _Doesn't seem to mind all of our antics, and is actually really supportive._

· ** _Madelyn, heir of Caelin_

o _Myrmidon. Wields swords._

o _Black hair, blue eyes, 17 years old._

o _A gentle noblewoman with a surprising fierceness. She is in love with Hassar and is worried about whether or not he would accept such feelings. She is also well aware of the struggles she will have for this romance._

· _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae_

o _Cavalier. Specializes in swords. Knows lances. Thinking about learning axes._

o _Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

o _Got dragged into our mess by trying to figure out the cause of the unrest in Lycia. Happily married. A far too kind and idealistic person who will likely get killed trying to save someone._

· _Marcus, Pheraen knight._

o _Cavalier. Specializes in lances. Knows swords. Thinking about learning axes._

o _Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years._

o _Sometimes reminds me more of a butler than a knight. Seems to be dealing with some sort of trauma, but clearly thinks the world of Elbert._

· _Eagler, Caelin Knight._

o _Paladin. Equally specialized in swords and knives. Noticeably poorer with axes._

o _Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

o _Protective and perhaps a little stern. He is absolutely loyal to Madelyn._

· ** _Nicky/Nicholas, Count Hanover_

o _Paladin. Specializes in lances. Knows swords and axes equally well._

o _Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

o _My cousin, a former 'young knight' of Etruria. Still shaken by the revelations Desmond brought, though he does his best to not look it._

o _Killed his fellow squires during his initiation, in order to protect the Sacaeans they were attacking. He has nightmares of that night to this day._

· _Yodel, Priest._

o _Healer, though I think he's going to try and learn some magic to help out a little more._

o _Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

o _I think we are good for his 'acting calm through everything' training. Though, I think we exasperate him a lot._

· _Urien, Count Reglay_

o _Sage. Tomes and staves._

o _Silver hair, silver eyes, 24 years old._

o _Powerful magic user like many of those from Reglay, who got involved mostly because Albert was trying to kill Mordred._

· _Brendan Reed, Black Fang Leader_

o _Warrior. Specializes in axes, knows bows._

o _Brown-blonde hair, brown eyes, 26 years old_

o _A surprisingly kind man, especially for an assassin, who was hired to kill us, but broke contract because it went against his morals._

· _Wallace, Caelin Knight_

o _Armored Knight. Wields lances._

o _Brown hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

o _Bombastic knight who manages to drive Hassar up the wall. Loyal to Madelyn, though. And has no sense of direction._

* * *

Author's note: Been a bit since we had a nursery rhyme, I think. A-hunting I will go is an old nursery rhyme, where there's a lot of variations, for different animals. Have a demonstration of Amanda and Nicholas losing their temper, Albert and Ephidel reappearing, and a confirmation of Nicholas's breaking event. And some bonding between the girls of the group. Monke, btw, is the name of the Chieftain of the Djute in FE6.

Hmm… you know, I should put growth rates for these chars, shouldn't I, since we're coming to the end. We'll start with just Amanda for now: 90% HP, 25% Str, 5% Mag, 40% Skl, 45% Spd, 20% Lck, 25% Def, 5% Res.

Next Chapter – Sky Festival


	28. Chapter 28) Sky Festival

Chapter 28) Sky Festival

* * *

 _While Great-Great-Grandfather Julius was growing up, tensions with Bern were increasing. Bern had enjoyed being the only 'superpower' of the continent, and did not like how Etruria had gained the same power. That the two countries were opposites in many ways did not help matters. Etruria valued subtly, poison. Bern valued strength, power. Etruria put a focus on masks and appearances, where scars were a mark of shame. Bern put a focus on confidence and practicality, where scars were a mark of honor._

 _It was very controversial when Great-Great-Grandfather Julius chose to sell horses to Bern. But he endured all the pointed barbs until they realized what he did: make Bern reliant on Etruria._

* * *

After everything, Hassar insisted we go to Bulgar for two reasons. One, if there was ever a time to strike at the Sacaeans, apparently the Sky Festival was the time to do it; no weapons were allowed in the city during this time, and everyone had their guard down. Two, if there _was not_ an attack, then we got to relax after a trying few weeks. Ultimately, we decided it was a good idea.

I was glad we did. It was… festive. That was the only word I could think of for it. It reminded me of the Festival of Flames in Etruria, except brighter. Literally. Everything was covered in bright, beautiful colors, reminding me of a birds' plumage. Perhaps that was the point.

Even we were 'bright'. The Lorca had kindly lent us clothes so that we would not stand out too much in the crowd, and insisted on threading beads through our hair and that we wear half our weight in scarves. Well, that last one was probably a bit of an exaggeration.

"Look!" Madelyn gasped, pointing up as a murder of crows all but danced over our heads. "Wow…!" Not far away, little kids holding up scarves raced after them, as if this was part of a game. "This is so cool!"

"Couldn't agree more, Mads," Uther laughed. Somehow, our group split up and, somehow, it arranged so that Uther, me, Madelyn, and Hassar were grouped together. I think the group was trying to say something. Maybe. Well, I _knew_ Elbert was plotting. He had winked before disappearing in the crowd with Nicky and Wallace. I dreaded to think what they had gotten caught up in. "Hassar, what's the policy for the market?"

"Be prepared for haggling," Hassar deadpanned. Still, he was smiling as he helped Madelyn dodge some rowdy partiers. "Unlike most cities, Bulgar _thrives_ off of it. You'll insult the stall owners if you don't."

"You have a few places that still haggle, but for the most part, first offer is the final offer." Uther looked curiously at the stalls. "Mads, want to try?"

"Yes!" she instantly agreed. She laughed as she and Uther pushed their way out of the crowd. "Wait here, you two!"

"I'm not sure if we ae going to be able to follow that 'suggestion'," I noted. The crowd was already pushing us along. "It is quite hectic."

"The Sky Festival is one of the major festivals for the Sacaeans," Hassar explained. He pointed to a small pocket of space and we both bolted for it. "You have practically every tribe here."

"How many are there?"

"Many, but there are three 'major' ones: Djute, Lorca, and Kutolah." He shrugged. "Those three tribes have existed since before the Scouring, so there is a lot of history there." And _he_ was the Chieftain of one of them. "If you're curious about the strongest and most influential one, that would have to be the Kutolah."

"Why?"

"It was Hanon's tribe." Oh. Yeah, being led by one of the legendary heroes would do that. "She led the tribe for a long while."

"I suppose, back then, relations between the countries were peaceful."

"Well, back then, all the major powers of the continent were friends." True. "That friendship would have held for a while, but eventually…" Eventually, things were lost. Over 900 years later, and most of the countries were just barely holding onto peace. It was almost amazing. And terrifying. So, subject change.

"Did I apologize for our argument?"

"Thrice. Cutting off _my_ apologies in the process." He laughed. "Then we got into an argument over who was more at fault."

"That is right…" I could not help but laugh too. "Then Wallace jumped in."

"I'm developing a fondness among the exasperation. Somehow." Wallace just had that sort of charm. "Oh, Dayan!" Who?

"Hassar!" Well, Dayan was apparently the person who jumped out of the crowd to give Hassar a warm hug and a clap on the back. "Good to see you!" he laughed. He sobered up when he saw me, though. "This is…?" The narrow eyes already told me something; he did not trust Etrurians.

"Amanda, a friend of mine," Hassar answered easily. It made Dayan relax. "I'm not back permanently yet. I just happened to be near while working on a separate thing with Amanda's group."

"So, there are other outsiders?" Dayan looked worried. "Will they be all right?"

"It's the Sky Festival."

"Point. Fighting is not allowed." Dayan shook his head. "Still, I _had_ heard you took my suggestion and left the plains to clear your head." Oh, so _that_ was why Hassar was out and about. "Did it work?"

"Well, in some ways, yes." Hassar sighed. "I ended up taking mercenary work. You can guess how that goes."

"Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but an understanding of the world outside of the plains will do Sacaeans some good." Dayan shook his head. "No matter how much we wish it, we are not completely isolated. Besides, perhaps in meeting with outsiders, we can help ourselves."

"I suppose. I met an Etrurian noble who has been trying to change the knight initiation they're going through." Hassar smiled slightly. "Hearing that was comforting, if a bit bitter."

"Isn't everything?" Dayan laughed. "You fret too much."

"Sometimes, I think you don't fret enough." Hassar shook his head, and gestured at a red band around Dayan's arm. "You are in mourning?"

"Ah, yes." Dayan's cheer faded for old sadness. "Consumption hit the Kutolah six months ago, after a bout of it here in Bulgar." So, I was now rather terrified for Uther? "My wife succumbed."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Hassar hesitated before continuing, "how is your son?"

"Rath? Filled with too much energy, really." Though Dayan sighed, he was smiling. "Running around, getting into everything, charming everyone in the tribe with his bright smile. Normal things, really, thankfully. It took a while explaining how consumption killed his mommy."

"I'm glad to hear he's well." Hassar suddenly shifted, as if he noticed something in the crowd. "Where is he now?"

"I left him with Kieros while I tended to some business, and sneakily bought him presents." Dayan tilted his head. "Why?"

"Well, Kieros is coming this way, and he looks frazzled?" Hassar _laughed_ when Dayan's reaction was just to close his eyes. "I take it he escapes his babysitters very frequently."

"Let me just say that I understand why outsiders call this time the 'terrible twos'." Dayan shook his head. "Excuse me." He dropped back, talking to a Sacaean in heavy robes I assumed was this 'Kieros'. Kieros looked apologetic, while Dayan looked both exasperated and worried.

"My son, if he had lived, would have been only a few months younger than Rath," Hassar whispered. His eyes looked worried. "We can help him, right?"

"Of course," I replied. He smiled softly in thanks. "But first, we have to deal with Uther and Madelyn." After all, they were racing up now.

"Look at what we got!" Uther cheered. He immediately draped a very beautiful shawl around my shoulders and I rolled my eyes in reply. I could not even pretend to be surprised. "Mads is _amazing_ at haggling."

"It's the pretty face," Madelyn joked. Still, her face was flushed from excitement. "Oh, here, Hassar." She leaned up and secured a headband on his head. "I thought it would look nice on you." Hassar, for his part, just looked startled. I, however, bit back a snicker. "You two were looking serious. What is it?"

"A friend of Hassar lost his son in the chaos," I explained. Uther's eyes immediately grew dark with worry, and I knew why. There _was_ a chance that our enemy was kidnapping children here. "We were discussing how to help."

"How about Hassar lets his friend know, I stick with him, and you and Uther go ahead and get hunting?" She smiled warmly, and clapped her hands. "Let's go!"

We split up then, hunting for a little boy in a mass of people. We might have better luck finding a needle in a haystack, but we were certainly going to try anyway. Thankfully, it seemed little Rath was well known, and well adored, by the populace as the people Uther and I asked were more than willing to give us what help they could, and to hunt for him themselves. It was… probably not an exaggeration that half of the festival goers had been recruited for finding a single missing child.

But, eventually, the search came to an end. Namely, Uther and I found Rath at a candy stall, happily snacking away at everything the stall owner gave him.

"Who?" he asked, looking at us curiously. He seemed to pay more attention to our hair than anything. "Not green?"

"We aren't Sacaeans," Uther explained, smiling slightly. He stepped forward, but Rath shied away. "Ah, sorry, am I scary?"

"No." Rath shook his head. "Daddy says no strangers." Oh, sure, he listened to _that_ and not something like 'do not go wandering off in the first place'. Kids.

"Well, your daddy is a very wise person." Uther did not seem to mind. I suppose it was better to make sure Rath did not run away than actually grabbing him. "Oh, hey, Hassar, Madelyn, over here!" He waved his arm and, soon, Hassar and Madelyn joined us. "We found our wayward son."

"Seems so," Hassar replied. Both he and Madelyn smiled in relief. "So, why have we not 'captured' him?"

"Well, I don't want to make him run away in fright."

"I see." Hassar shook his head. "Well, Dayan should be… ah, there he is." He was right. Dayan _was_ pushing himself through the crowd towards us.

Rath's face lit up as soon as he saw Dayan. "Daddy!" he cheered, leaping to his feet and stumbling over to cling to Dayan's leg. "Daddy, Daddy, Daddy!"

"Rath, there you are," Dayan sighed. He picked Rath up easily, swinging him high over his head as Rath laughed and laughed. "Where have you been? Why did you leave Kieros?"

"Missed you." Rath wrapped his arms around Dayan's neck as Dayan settled him on his hip. "Love you."

"Yes, yes, Rath, I love you too. That's why you need to stay put when I have to leave." Dayan sighed as Rath smiled brightly. "And you smile and I forget why I'm scolding you in the first place. Why are your hands sticky?"

"Candy!"

"Father Sky and Mother Earth." Still, Dayan smiled, and kissed the top of Rath's head. "Did you say 'thank you' to the nice people who found you?"

"Um…" Rath twisted to smile at us. "Thankees!"

"It's really no trouble," Madelyn laughed. Her eyes were sparkling, and I knew she half-plotted to take Rath home with her, like she had with Katarina. "He's adorable and sweet."

"He is truly the joy of my life," Dayan murmured. His eyes became thoughtful. "Ah, I just thought of something. Hassar, you're not performing this time, correct?"

"No, I've been away too long," Hassar answered. He looked curious. The rest of us looked confused. "Why?"

"In that case, why don't you and yours sit with me during the dances?" Dances? "I cannot perform as well, since I am in mourning, and I'm sure Rath would love the company." There were dances? "Whisper on the Wind is going to be sung-" As if on cue, a very beautiful song wafted over the crowd. I did not recognize it at all. "There it is. It's time for the main event of the Sky Festival."

"Then we'll take you up on the offer, Dayan." Hassar grinned at the rest of us. "Let's find the rest of the group. You really do not want to miss this."

* * *

The dances were incredible. Elaborate and festive. The sword dances, in particular, caught my eye, especially since they were performed with live steel, and you spent so much time on the edge of your seat, fearing that someone, anyone, was going to draw blood in the intricate and beautiful dance.

But, all too soon, it came to an end. Then, however, there was a very different sort of dance. As the starts twinkled overheard, the festival goers all danced and laughed around a large bonfire set up on the outskirts of the town. Supposedly, this was how every Sky Festival ended. I liked it.

"Here, try this kind, Lady Amanda," Eagler offered, passing me a cup of alcohol. Brendan _had_ been drinking with us, but he got distracted by some fretting parents, and was now serving as the unofficial babysitter of the festival. Urien and Yodel were helping him. "A shame Lord Nicholas took ill."

"Nicky never was one for alcohol," I replied, snickering as I accepted the cup. Apparently, he, Elbert, and Wallace ended up in the middle of a drinking contest, by accident. "And this kind was stronger than the Sacaeans claimed." Or, rather, they gave him recommendations based on _their_ tolerance, not his. "How is Elbert doing?"

"The last I checked, Marcus was tending to him." How strangely unsurprising. "Oh…" I was curious what caused that little reaction, but then I saw what it was. Hassar and Madelyn were dancing together, and based on their smiles, it was clear both of them were having the time of their lives.

"What do you think of them?" It felt appropriate to ask. He was, technically, her knight. "Do you even have an opinion?"

"No, unless you consider 'uncertainty' an opinion." He drained his cup in one-go and sighed, shaking his head. "If she does decide to go with him, I'm going to make sure I'm nowhere near." Hmm? "No small part of me believes that she would be 'better off' staying in Lycia. Who knows? Perhaps she would. At the same time, I wonder if she would be _happy_ staying in Lycia, if she chooses to live with Hassar." He sighed. "I am uncertain what I would choose, if I were sent after them. Would I pick her safety or her happiness? As a knight, my duty is to both."

"Sent after them?"

"Lord Hausen will freak out. He wouldn't approve, and believe me, Lady Madelyn _is_ aware of that too. She'll try otherwise, of course, but she knows there is a distinct possibility that she will be disowned for her love." That made my heart ache. "So, someone would be sent. Specifically, either Wallace or myself." As if on cue, Wallace's boisterous laugh echoed over the music, and I saw him happily sharing a drink with Hassar, with Madelyn laughing nearby. "I know what Wallace would choose, though, and he's oblivious to the conflict. Give the job to him, and Lady Madelyn will be happy."

"I think that counts as having an opinion."

"Hush." Ha! "I'm thinking of setting up a training regime for us, by the way." Oh? "With luck, the trip across the plains will be peaceful, which is the perfect time to perfect our fighting abilities." With luck, when we made it to Ilia, it would be the last few fights. According to Athos, we could not 'stop' the ultimate source, but we could destroy the operation. We _had_ to do that. "What do you think?"

"I think it is a good idea, personally." It was almost strange, realizing that the end of this adventure could actually be drawing near. "Some of us need it more than others."

"Very true." Eagler stood with a groan, grimacing. "And I think I overextended my limits. The alcohol is getting to me."

"Oh, what a shame." I pointedly downed the rest of mine, just for the dirty look he shot me. "Go get some water and food."

"That's the plan. Do you require any?"

"Not at the moment." I waved him off. "Go on; go on. I doubt anything is going to happen at _this_ point."

"Very true. I'm almost startled." True, you _would_ think that this would be a great place to gather a bunch of quintessence to make morphs. "I suppose this is a good indicator that the battle you and Lord Nicholas fought in was an 'outlier' to their schemes." It seemed so. "And dizziness is setting in. I'm off."

"Try not to fall into the fire." I waved goodbye as he walked off, a notable sway to his gait. "I warned him."

"Warned who of what?" I glanced up and saw Marcus, of all people, walking over to me. "Lord Elbert bade me to 'enjoy' myself," he said, answering my unspoken question. "So, you warned who of what?"

"Eagler, and drinking," I replied. I shrugged. "I don't get drunk. I skip it, and go straight to hangover. Or something. I can drink a lot."

"Strange, considering Lord Nicholas?"

"I've been told my mother could _really_ hold her liquor, so I think I got it from her, not the Hanover line." I gestured for him to sit. "I'm assuming you're over here because you're trying to think of a plausible way to enjoy yourself that doesn't involve interacting with a lot of people."

"I apologize for being so transparent." He sighed and sat down, and accepted the cup I passed him. "I feel too much guilt to enjoy these things still."

"Guilt?"

"…I'm a sole survivor." Oh. "Can we leave it at that?"

"Yes, _and_ I owe you." I sighed. "Damn, not often I regret putting my foot in my mouth."

"It's fine, and I feel weird with you owing me, so let's call it 'even' if you will indulge a thought."

"Sure."

"Very good." Judging by his expression, I had a feeling this is something he had been wanting to say for a bit, but thought it 'was not his place' or something. "So, Lord Elbert has been teasing me about getting married." …Okay, _not what I expected_. "I suppose it is not unusual. He found great happiness in his marriage, and so he simply wishes others in his life to have that same, or similar, happiness."

"Okay." This was going to be either really awkward or really good. "So, what is the issue?"

"Well, I have never been one for romance, Lady Amanda." He shrugged. "It has never appealed to me. I can admit that someone is handsome or pretty, and I suppose I have fond some sexually desirable, but not really 'romantically'." Huh. "So, I was curious if you had advice for telling Lord Elbert this, in less convoluted terms."

"Well, you can use what Charles did when he swore his oath to Nicky." I still remembered it. I had thought it so _strange_. "Just tell him that your life's joy is serving him and his. He might not believe you, but time will show him the truth."

"I see." He nodded, smiling slightly. "Yes, that should work. "Some people don't require romance to be happy. Some people just don't feel romantic love at all, and that's fine." He glanced at me. "But I suppose it must feel miserable, being uncertain and terrified of falling in love."

…Oh, great. I think _this_ was what he meant by 'indulging'. "What are you leading to?"

"Oh, just me being surprised you're letting it attempt to conquer you, when you had the gall to assassinate the heir of Ostia."

"That was an accident. I took the job to assassinate an heir, not _the_ heir."

"Still, that requires a lot of gall. Same with surviving five years alone." Marcus sipped his drink. "I just don't think it suits you, hesitating and being afraid. But, then again, while I know trauma, I do not know _that_ sort of trauma." That… "Just remember that if something does go wrong or awkward, there is a group of very strange people you can hide behind until things even out." Ahaha… ha…

"Yes, I suppose so." I knocked back the last of my drink. "This is some good alcohol."

"It is." He finished off his bit too, and stood up. "Do you want another mug?"

"Yes, please." I passed him my empty cup, and waved as he walked off, turning my attention back to the crowd. Hassar and Madelyn were dancing again. Her face lit up with her smile, laughing and clearly enjoying herself. Hassar was more hesitant, but there was a warmth to his gaze and small smile. Whatever fear he might feel, he at least was aware that he loved seeing her smile.

Footsteps caught my ear, but when I glanced up, I could only really stare. "There you are!" After all, Uther was right there, holding his hand out to me. "My dear, would you give me the honor of a dance?" he asked, voice playfully formal. The words reminded me of Albert, and the times he forced me to dance with him at parties, no matter how much my feet ached. The times he used those dances as an opportunity to hold me too hard, leaving bruises, and a quick way to escape watchful eyes to drag me into things I had not wanted to do.

But the cheer reminded me that I was not dealing with Albert. I was dealing with Uther, who was always gentle and kind to me, even at the beginning when we barely knew each other. Who was careful of my boundaries. Even now, I knew that I could refuse and he would not be angry or upset. He would accept my choice, because that was how he was. Unlike Albert, he respected me.

So, maybe Marcus was right. Maybe, considering everything I have gone through, I could find the courage to move forward. Maybe Maria was right. Maybe I did deserve to break free.

"I suppose, darling," I replied, taking his hand. His grip was gentle as he helped me up, careful to not yank me. Unlike Albert. "Do you even know this dance, though?"

"Well, I figured we'd just wing it." He laughed and I rolled my eyes. "Shall we?"

"Very well." I could apologize to Marcus later. "Lead on."

* * *

 _People_

· _Amanda, me. Huntress of Ostia._

o _Thief and Assassin. Wields daggers. Learning swords._

o _Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

o _Former noblewoman who was disowned, and dealing with the scars of having an abusive ex-fiance. This is made worse by my falling in love with Uther._

o _Probably due to all the fighting, but I've gotten skilled at killing even without the need for ambushes._

· _Uther, heir of Ostia_

o _Fighter? General? He wields axes, and wears heavy armor._

o _Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

o _A kind, infuriating, man who started this whole adventure because he wanted to look into the murders._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary, Chieftain of the Lorca_

o _Nomad of the Lorca tribe. Wields bows and knows swords_

o _Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

o _Kind, idealistic, and perhaps a bit overworking given how quickly he got the lists out for us. Lost his wife, and baby son, to Etrurian squires, and is now terrified of falling in love, even as he develops feelings for Madelyn._

· _Maria, Ilian mercenary_

o _Pegasus knight. Wields lances. I think she's taking up swords._

o _Lavender hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

o _On her year field-training, was tricked into helping and now seeks to atone for it. A skilled field medic._

o _Doesn't seem to mind all of our antics, and is actually really supportive._

· ** _Madelyn, heir of Caelin_

o _Myrmidon. Wields swords._

o _Black hair, blue eyes, 17 years old._

o _A gentle noblewoman with a surprising fierceness. She is in love with Hassar and is worried about whether or not he would accept such feelings. She is also well aware of the struggles she will have for this romance._

o _Seems to actually really like the festivities in Bulgar, falling in easily. There is still a verdict on whether or not that is a good thing._

· _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae_

o _Cavalier. Specializes in swords. Knows lances. Thinking about learning axes._

o _Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

o _Got dragged into our mess by trying to figure out the cause of the unrest in Lycia. Happily married. A far too kind and idealistic person who will likely get killed trying to save someone._

· ** _Marcus, Pheraen knight._

o _Cavalier. Specializes in lances. Knows swords. Thinking about learning axes._

o _Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years._

o _Sometimes reminds me more of a butler than a knight. Seems to be dealing with some sort of trauma, but clearly thinks the world of Elbert._

o _Also a bit of a worrying busybody, but one with good advice and encouragement._

·** _Eagler, Caelin Knight._

o _Paladin. Equally specialized in swords and knives. Noticeably poorer with axes._

o _Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

o _Protective and perhaps a little stern. He is absolutely loyal to Madelyn. So much so that if Madelyn runs off with Hassar, he's going to make sure that he's nowhere near so that he isn't ordered to drag her back._

· _Nicky/Nicholas, Count Hanover_

o _Paladin. Specializes in lances. Knows swords and axes equally well._

o _Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

o _My cousin, a former 'young knight' of Etruria. Still shaken by the revelations Desmond brought, though he does his best to not look it._

o _Killed his fellow squires during his initiation, in order to protect the Sacaeans they were attacking. He has nightmares of that night to this day._

· _Yodel, Priest._

o _Healer, though I think he's going to try and learn some magic to help out a little more._

o _Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

o _I think we are good for his 'acting calm through everything' training. Though, I think we exasperate him a lot._

· _Urien, Count Reglay_

o _Sage. Tomes and staves._

o _Silver hair, silver eyes, 24 years old._

o _Powerful magic user like many of those from Reglay, who got involved mostly because Albert was trying to kill Mordred._

· ** _Brendan Reed, Black Fang Leader_

o _Warrior. Specializes in axes, knows bows._

o _Brown-blonde hair, brown eyes, 26 years old_

o _A surprisingly kind man, especially for an assassin, who was hired to kill us, but broke contract because it went against his morals._

o _Adores kids, and they adore him._

· ** _Wallace, Caelin Knight_

o _Armored Knight. Wields lances._

o _Brown hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

o _Bombastic knight who manages to drive Hassar up the wall. Loyal to Madelyn, though, to the point that Eagler is certain he'd let Madelyn elope with Hassar, even if ordered to bring her back. Has no sense of direction._

* * *

Author's Note: Considering that Rath is 19 during Eliwood/Hector's story, that makes him 2 during this story. Meaning this is also two years before he's thrown out of the Kutolah because of a prophecy Kieros, the diviner of the Kutolah, had.

Anyway, growths time. Uther's are: 70% HP, 50% Str, 0% Mag, 40% Skl, 35% Spd, 15% Lck, 40% Def, 5% Res.

(Yes, I am well aware that these growths are significantly lower than Hector's; this is a different story, 'game' if you will. If it helps, just think of all the characters having solid base stats since, with the exception of Madelyn, they're all very well trained and have fought in many battles before.)

Next Chapter – Border


	29. Chapter 29) Border

Chapter 29) Border

* * *

 _Great-Great-Grandfather Julius was careful, starting small and let Bern think they were being smart, taking advantage of him. He let them ridicule them as they slowly fell for his trap, replacing each of their old cavalry with Hanover horses. He let them get used to the horses, and then, when it came time to replace them, they found that their own did not measure up. Their strategies had adapted to Hanover horses, and switching back would cost them too much time._

 _That was when he upped the price. He was always crafty._

* * *

"Madelyn, you need to watch your guard on your left," I shouted as I parried a blow. "You are wide open."

"So are you!" she retorted, twisting to kick at my legs. I easily flipped over her. "Hey!"

"I am an assassin; you honestly think I do not know most of dirty tricks?" I landed easily, and put the sword on her neck. "Checkmate."

"We are _not_ playing chess!" Still, she laughed, stepping back. "Ah, I'm sore!" Yeah, so was I. We had been sparring for a rather long time. An hour or so, including breaks? "But I think I'm getting the hang of it."

"Considering the brutal training regime we decided to undertake as we crossed the plains, I would be surprised if you were not." I tossed the practice sword to the side and stretched, wincing as my back protested. "Freaking hell, I almost wish Marcus's method was not so effective." Marcus had been the one to outline everyone's training and _damn_ if it was not brutal. Even Nicky was startled, and he was used to Etruria. "You think Brendan is done cooking yet?"

"Probably not, but I can't wait!" We rapidly discovered that Brendan was far and away the best cook of us, and we forced him to make food every day. Luckily, he did not seem to mind. "Oh…" Her face softened with a smile, and I turned to see what she was looking at. I knew almost immediately it was Hassar. "Looks like he's having fun."

"Yeah." The first few sword lessons Hassar had with Nicky were awkward, likely because there was a _very_ good chance that Nicky was teaching him the same techniques that killed his wife. But now, the two laughed as they sparred, their horses being playful. "And there is Maria, trying to tag-team." But Nicky caught sight of her and ducked, making her pout. "I find this so… is ironic the word I want?"

"Maybe." She shrugged, looking at me. "Why?"

"A former Etrurian knight is teaching a Sacaean nomad and Ilian mercenary a tricks to staying balanced while fighting with swords." I smiled wryly. "You cannot tell me that is not _something."_

"Good point." She hummed a little in thought. "I was surprised that Hassar needed those lessons, though. He taught me, after all."

"From what I understand, Hassar primarily knows how to fight with swords on foot, and learned it as a past-time. His muscle memory on horseback is more for archery, which requires a very different seating."

"Oh." She giggled. "Still, it is wonderful to see them having fun." It was indeed.

It also made me curious about the others, so I glanced around the area to check. My eyes immediately went to Uther first where he and Wallace were exchanging boasts as they sparred; Wallace was teaching Uther lances and Uther was teaching _him_ axes. You could tell by their smiles that they were having fun, though.

Yodel and Urien were not far away, and looked far more serious. But you could still see their happy smiles as Yodel successfully called on the power of a lightning tome, even if the magic struck a little too close to Eagler's horse for comfort. Eagler, though, barely seemed to notice it as he instructed Elbert and Marcus in axes, snapping criticisms and praise in equal measure.

"It certainly has been an interesting few days," I whispered. But now, we were on the border of Sacae and Ilia, having crossed into the mountains a few days ago. Maria suggested we head towards Edessa directly, which was in the northeastern part of Ilia. Which meant mountains. "I am pleasantly surprised we have not been hit with a blizzard yet."

"Let's hope the luck stays!" Madelyn laughed. Her smile faltered, though, as she glanced back at Hassar. I knew she was still thinking long and hard about what she wanted to do, what she wanted to risk. "Hey, Amanda?"

"I have no advice to give." I smiled sadly. "I am having difficulties taking the advice I have been given."

"I suppose." She sighed. "Ugh, okay, I'm going to spin the bad thoughts away." She promptly started twirling, and I just watched with incredulous exasperation. "And there!" She teetered a bit, giggling. "A dizzy spell will make them tumble out!" Seriously, Madelyn? "Wait, what's that?" She pointed to something on the horizon, and my eyes narrowed when I realized what it was. Smoke. A lot of smoke, especially for this time of day. "Amanda?"

"Let's check with Maria first." There might be some tradition. "But, if it's bad, we're moving."

If we met trouble on the border, did that mean we were going the right way? I would like a silver lining to this, please and thank you.

* * *

Well, there was trouble, and the trouble was morphs. More importantly, they were morphs led by that one who had teleported Albert away. And that particular morph had a bolting.

We split our group between firefighting and morph-fighting. It was times like this I really felt how 'small' our group really was.

"I don't know what's worse, the fire or the bolting," Uther growled. Somehow, he, a dismounted Elbert, and I ended up groups together, surrounded by fire and corpses. The smell was absolutely nauseating. "Elbert, what happened to your horse?"

"I'm letting the fire group borrow him to pull up rubble," Elbert answered, cutting down a morph that came to close. When he was not mounted, he tended to use his sword as if it were a rapier. For some reason. "They can do that better without me nearby, puking my guts out because I can see a child's hand blackening."

"Shame. We could have trampled them." He threw himself back suddenly, dodging another bolting. "I hate magic right now. Where's Yodel and Urien?"

"Tending to civilians." Elbert's tone very clearly conveyed an 'of course'. "Arrows." The three of us ducked, letting the arrows thud into the nearby house. "Okay, we need a plan."

"I think the plan is going to be you two busting through, and me trying to sneak up to that damn morph with the bolting," I grumbled. Things were so chaotic that I could not even think of a nursery rhyme to hum. The rhythm of the fight was all off. "Another one."

We had to roll out of the way, twice. First from the bolting, and then from the arrows. "I hope the others aren't having as difficult of a time," Uther sighed. He suddenly paused, and pointed. "Did the morph come down here?" Both Elbert and I turned and saw the morph not far away, tilting their head and studying us closely. "What? Done with trying to electrocute us?" There was no answer. They just kept staring. "Amanda, if you do not mind…?"

"My Master has ordered the collection of quintessence," the morph suddenly whispered. I could barely hear their voice among everything. "This has been completed. My mission is done." They pointed to the north. "Ephidel is to the north with the two little pawns. He will see things to the end." Uh…

"Why are you telling us this?"

"I do not know." They actually looked genuinely confused. "But I do not agree with working with this Albert pawn. It is not in my nature to disagree, so I worked on my task. And I have completed it."

"Then, what? You're just going to attack the place and leave?"

"Yes, it is inefficient to continue going about like this. The quintessence gathered is meek and meager." They tossed their bolting to the side for emphasis. "Yours is bright, glittering, glorious. It would be more efficient to simply take yours." Um… "But not yet. Your quintessence is still growing. I will wait. I will tell my master of you, and we will wait. This current plan is flawed."

"It sounds like you're just trying to logic a way to leave innocents alone."

"I am a morph." The words were soft, almost apathetic. "I am a construct, crafted in my master's view of perfection. All that I am is a false imitation." They nodded. "Yes, so is this guilt." Magic wrapped around them. "If I continue, I will be destroyed, and I could not help my master. So, I leave." A flash of light, and they did just that. They simply… left.

"Did that seriously just happen?" Uther turned to look at Elbert and me, as if to confirm. "Did they seriously just…?" Just give us a very longwinded 'I am so done here' and leave? Yes. Yes, they did. It did not make any sense to me.

"Well, I suppose that is telling of how insufferable Albert is," I joked, mostly to try and ease the confused tension of the area. The fires were starting to burn out. "Not even a doll can be ordered to help him."

"That _is_ pretty amusing," Elbert agreed. He managed a small smile. "I wonder if they only even attacked the place to get our attention."

"What makes you say that?"

"Just because of how longwinded and clunky that speech was." Basically, it was 'just a feeling'. "I could be wrong. I like seeing the best in all people, even morphs." Yes, yes. "Ah, hello there, Maria, how goes everyone?"

"They 'go' fine," Maria replied, landing next to us. She dismounted easily, looking incredulous. "Did the morph in charge seriously run away?" Yep. "Why?"

"No idea," Uther sighed. He leaned into my slightly, as if totally exhausted. "I have a headache." I was certain his headache was the same as mine. Was that morph telling any semblance of truth? Were they truly gone? What had that morph been doing here at all? Nothing about them made sense.

"Well, you're in the perfect place for an icepack." She suddenly smiled sweetly, despite the blood and soot and the bodies at her feet. "Welcome to Ilia, by the way."

Well, this was one hell of a greeting.

* * *

 _People_

· ** _Amanda, me. Huntress of Ostia._

o _Thief and Assassin. Wields daggers and swords._

o _Blonde hair, amber eyes, 19 years old._

o _Former noblewoman who was disowned, and dealing with the scars of having an abusive ex-fiance. This is made worse by my falling in love with Uther._

o _Probably due to all the fighting, but I've gotten skilled at killing even without the need for ambushes. I still prefer the shadows, though._

· ** _Uther, heir of Ostia_

o _Fighter? General? He wields axes, lances, and wears heavy armor._

o _Blue hair, brown eyes, 19 years old._

o _A kind, infuriating, man who started this whole adventure because he wanted to look into the murders._

o _Taught Wallace axes, and learned lances from him._

· ** _Hassar, Sacaean mercenary, Chieftain of the Lorca_

o _Nomad of the Lorca tribe. Wields bows and swords_

o _Green hair, green eyes, 18 years old._

o _Kind, idealistic, and perhaps a bit overworking given how quickly he got the lists out for us. Lost his wife, and baby son, to Etrurian squires, and is now terrified of falling in love, even as he develops feelings for Madelyn._

· ** _Maria, Ilian mercenary_

o _Falco Knight. Wields lances and swords._

o _Lavender hair, blue eyes, 16 years old._

o _On her year field-training, was tricked into helping and now seeks to atone for it. A skilled field medic._

o _Doesn't seem to mind all of our antics, and is actually really supportive._

· ** _Madelyn, heir of Caelin_

o _Swordmaster. Wields swords._

o _Black hair, blue eyes, 17 years old._

o _A gentle noblewoman with a surprising fierceness. She is in love with Hassar and is worried about whether or not he would accept such feelings. She is also well aware of the struggles she will have for this romance._

o _Took rather well to the 'dirty fighting' lessons I gave her._

· ** _Elbert, Marquess of Pherae_

o _Paladin. Specializes in swords, and knows lances almost as well. His axe skills could use work, but they are serviceable._

o _Red hair, blue eyes, 18 years old._

o _Got dragged into our mess by trying to figure out the cause of the unrest in Lycia. Happily married. A far too kind and idealistic person who will likely get killed trying to save someone._

· ** _Marcus, Pheraen knight._

o _Paladin. Specializes in lances, but knows swords just as well now. His axe skills are noticeably lackluster in comparison._

o _Purple hair, purple eyes, 23 years._

o _Sometimes reminds me more of a butler than a knight. Seems to be dealing with some sort of trauma, but clearly thinks the world of Elbert._

o _Specializes in generating brutal, but effective, training schedules._

·** _Eagler, Caelin Knight._

o _Paladin. Equally specialized in swords and knives. Noticeably poorer with axes._

o _Green hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

o _Protective and perhaps a little stern. He is absolutely loyal to Madelyn._

o _Taught Elbert and Marcus how to use axes._

· ** _Nicky/Nicholas, Count Hanover_

o _Paladin. Specializes in lances. Knows swords and axes equally well._

o _Brown hair, amber eyes, 24 years old._

o _My cousin, a former 'young knight' of Etruria. Still shaken by the revelations Desmond brought, though he does his best to not look it._

o _Taught Hassar and Maria tricks to staying stable while fighting with swords._

· ** _Yodel, Priest._

o _Healer primarily, but now knows light magic. Combat medic, anyone?_

o _Blonde hair, blue eyes, 25 years old._

o _I think we are good for his 'acting calm through everything' training. Though, I think we exasperate him a lot._

· ** _Urien, Count Reglay_

o _Sage. Tomes and staves._

o _Silver hair, silver eyes, 24 years old._

o _Powerful magic user like many of those from Reglay, who got involved mostly because Albert was trying to kill Mordred._

o _Managed to teach Yodel light magic, despite specializing in anima_

· ** _Brendan Reed, Black Fang Leader_

o _Warrior. Specializes in axes, knows bows._

o _Brown-blonde hair, brown eyes, 26 years old_

o _A surprisingly kind man, especially for an assassin, who was hired to kill us, but broke contract because it went against his morals._

o _Awesome chef who loves cooking._

· ** _Wallace, Caelin Knight_

o _Armored Knight. Wields lances._

o _Brown hair, brown eyes, 22 years old._

o _Bombastic knight who manages to drive Hassar up the wall. Loyal to Madelyn, though._

o _Taught Uther lances, and learned axes from him._

* * *

Author's Note: Okay, at this point, everyone is 'officially' promoted. We're also in Ilia at long last. For this chapter's growth rates, we have Hassar and Maria.

Hassar: 50% HP, 40% Str, 5% Mag, 40% Skl, 50% Spd, 40% Lck, 20% Def, 10% Res

Maria: 40% HP, 25% Str, 15% Mag, 50% Skl, 50% Spd, 45% Lck, 10% Def, 20% Res

(Fun fact: If you add up the individual growth rates for Amanda, Uther, Hassar, and Maria, you'll find that all of them add up to 255 each.)

Next Chapter – Sparkling Skies


	30. Chapter 30) Sparkling Skies

Chapter 30) Sparkling Skies

* * *

 _Hanover made an even larger fortune thanks to him. By the time Great-Great-Grandfather Julius retired, it would not have been an exaggeration to call it the richest noble house. Of course, Great-Grandfather Henry donated half of it to charity. Not out of 'good will', but out of being clever, crafty, manipulative. He gave half of it away, so that people would not look on the house so darkly. So that he appeared as a 'good ruler', and won the loyalty of the people._

 _When you think about it, House Hanover held onto power for almost 1000 years by manipulating everyone to secure their position. I suppose that's not very surprising._

* * *

I was glad that Maria made me a scarf because Ilia was incredibly cold. _Incredibly_. We had the horses walk across rivers because they were frozen solid enough to bear their weight. _That_ was how cold it was. Moving water was still ice.

How did people live here?

"Mandy, are you all right?" The words made me turn my focus from the cold to Nicky. He had let Brendan and Wallace borrow his horse, after the former wore out the sole of his shoe and the latter managed a spectacular slip, and walked beside me instead. "You're glaring."

"I shall be very glad to never see snow again," I grumbled. He simply laughed in reply. "What? Do _you_ not hate it?"

"No, for it makes the sky itself sparkle." He grinned as I gave him a look. "See? If you look up at the falling snow, they twinkle, like stars."

"I am reminded of when you wrote bad poetry for Cristina, Nicky."

"Hey, _she_ liked them." Somehow. He might have been among the best in many things growing up, but poetry wasn't one of them by a _long shot_. "Ah, I miss them so much. I don't like being away for so long."

"Sorry?"

"Well, I chose, and Elbert and I have been having delightful conversations over how much we miss our wives and children." He laughed a little. "Brendan joins in on the latter conversations." I imagined him joining in on the former would just be awkward. "Ah, what a mess, though…"

"Mess?" It took me a moment to remember. "Desmond?"

"Yes." He sighed heavily, good mood dropping like a rock. "I think I could have gone my whole life never learning that."

"What are you going to do about it?"

"Pretend I never heard anything, really." He shrugged. "I also plan on never leaving Etruria again." He smiled bitterly at my startled look. "In Etruria, I am safe. But if I step outside its borders, Desmond's power trumps mine. And it would not surprise me if he sent guards to try and capture me. I didn't exactly refuse gracefully."

"So, you shall stay where your power is greatest, where Desmond cannot reach you."

"Yes, and hope that he never gets a hold of my children. No matter how much time passes, it would not surprise me if he would jump at the chance to hold one of them hostage or, worse, force the throne onto them." His smile was so, so sad. "Damn whoever left those records in the archives. If it was supposed to be a secret, then they should've destroyed every bit of evidence."

"Are you really okay, running away?"

"I'm used to running." That was… something. I could not think of a word for it, but it was something. "Ah, I think I'll go ahead with Hassar and scout." 'And clear my head'. I could hear that part clearly.

"Be careful." What else could I say? "…Love you, Nicky."

"Love you too, Mandy."

* * *

Night always seemed to come early in Ilia, which meant we always seemed to camp just a little too early. Though, according to Maria, we were a day, at most, from Edessa. We thought about pushing on, but the threat made us decide to wait and rest. Dark and snow didn't exactly mix anyway.

Well, for traveling. I had to admit, grumpily, that the sight of the stars twinkling overhead with the snow falling down… well, it was a sight straight from a fantasy.

Gentle and soft singing caught my attention, and I twisted in my seat by the fire to see Hassar was the source. He and Madelyn were seated side by side, sharing a blanket, and I noticed just how… content Madelyn looked. She caught me watching, and smiled back, a small smile. I thought she might have made her choice. But, as she curled into him, I knew this was not a time to ask. Now was a time where she enjoyed the company of the one she loved. I knew Hassar was enjoying the moment, just by the warm smile on his face.

However, the moment was soon interrupted by a flying snowball. Hassar ducked, bringing Madelyn down with him, so it hit Urien in the face. A bright burst of laughter made it obvious who the culprit was: Maria.

So, of course, Urien responded as any responsible adult would do; he quickly made a snowball and threw it at her. However, she dodged, and it hit Eagler, making him stumble back and knock Marcus into a snow bank. Both of them just sort of stared in shock, so Elbert decided it was his duty to retaliate.

From there, it was an absolute mess of a bunch of adults having a snowball fight. Even Yodel joined in on the fun, proving to be surprisingly accurate.

I stayed back, more watching than anything. I laughed as I saw snow forts being made, cheered at particularly good hits. It was a bit of a free-for-all for now, but I could see teams slowly starting to form. It would be a 'battle' before long, but the bright laughter that echoed through the air made it clear that it was all in good fun, and by the end of it, no one was going to remember who 'won'. They _might_ remember that Hassar had the best aim, even if Madelyn had to show him how to make a 'proper' snowball.

"I think Maria wanted to lighten everyone's moods." A glance to the side proved Uther walking up, not joining in on the antics, for a strange reason. I would have thought he would be in the middle of it all, helping Elbert. "After all, if all goes well, then we will finish this battle within a few days," he murmured. "The murders will be solved, though I'm not sure we'll get a trial or anything."

"That is fine," I reassured him. I made sure to smile. "It will be good for them to end."

"That's true." He fell silent, just watching everyone. "What a weird group we've collected."

"And everyone joined in willingly too."

"Yeah." He fell silent again, and when I glanced over, I could tell he was mentally debating something. Knowing that he would tell me in time, I focused on the others, noting that they were very involved in their snowball fight. I doubted they were paying any attention at all to Uther or me. Maybe we could pull a prank on them? "Amanda?"

"Yes?" I turned to face him, and saw he looked incredibly serious. "What is it?"

"…May I kiss you?" The words were soft, so soft that I was not sure I had heard him correctly. "I would like to kiss you. May I?"

"I…" Everything sort of… froze. Fear flooded me and I was sorely tempted to run. I honestly was. "That is rather sudden."

"Yes, it is, and I am sorry for that." He kept looking straight at me, though. "I assure you, though, that my _having_ the thought is not very sudden." W-well…

I hesitated, the fear almost making me ill. But I thought of what everyone had said, how so many had encouraged me. I thought of how gentle he always was, and I knew, I _knew_ , that if I refused he would listen. So… I… "Yes…"

He reached over to gently cup my cheek, tilting my face up. Then, slowly, giving me plenty of time to refuse, to change my mind, he leaned in and kissed me gently. So gently that I could not help but tear up. I closed my eyes to hide that, but that just made the tears escape. But he simply wiped it away with his thumb, and kept kissing me, softly, sweetly, and gently.

I could learn to love this. After all, I had fallen for him.

* * *

 _People_

 _…Nope, not saying anything. Not saying anything this time. Sorry?_

* * *

Author's note: So, here's the last 'break' chapter where there's no fighting involved. So, what better place than hints for Madelyn-Hassar, and finalizing Uther-Amanda? Also, explanation for Katri's comment in Tactician's Testimony about how Nicholas hasn't left Etruria 'since Hellene's wedding'.

Growth rates -

Madelyn: 40% HP, 25% Str, 20% Mag, 75% Skl, 75% Spd, 40% Lck, 35% Def, 20% Res

Elbert: 65% HP, 30% Str, 5% Mag, 40% Skl, 35% Spd, 30% Lck, 25% Def, 25% Res

Marcus: 70% HP, 40% Str, 5% Mag, 60% Skl, 40% Spd, 40% Lck, 45% Def, 30% Res

Eagler: 55% HP, 45% Str, 5% Mag, 40% Skl, 40% Spd, 20% Lck, 35% Def, 15% Res

(Madelyn and Marcus have higher growth rate totals as they're 'lower level'/'lower base stats' compared to the rest)

Next Chapter – Mercenary (Five chapters left)


	31. Chapter 31) Mercenary

Chapter 31) Mercenary

* * *

 _Great-Grandfather Henry, though, ended up dying young. Grandfather was only fifteen when his father was thrown from a horse. Since by that point, he had already lost his mother, his advisors urged him to marry quickly, to secure the line. He ended up picking Grandmother, the daughter of a nearby baron and a childhood friend of his. Though it was a marriage of convenience, I'm told that the two got along well until her death. However, she had always been frailer, and bearing twins had not done her favors._

 _Still, she didn't die until Father and Uncle Dimitri, Nicky's father, were five. That was pretty good._

* * *

Edessa was rather pretty for how streamlined practical it was. Grey stone buildings built to blend into the background, but still sparkling against the crisp, white snow. Paths carefully cleaned away, with little snowmen dotting the boundaries. Of course, the air of the place was tense, and it was clear why: it was occupied.

"There must be hostages," Maria whispered. She peered around the corner of the house we were hiding behind. "That's the only reason I can think of that the place isn't blood-splattered." Alternatively, everyone was dead, but that seemed less likely. "Wallace, will you stop clinking?" For reasons that I was certain made sense to Elbert and Uther, they had insisted that Wallace come with Maria and me while we scouted. Hassar had Madelyn and Nicky with him. "It's annoying."

"I'm afraid chainmail clinks by nature, Dame Maria," Wallace replied. I was mostly surprised he could be _any_ sort of quiet. "You two were the ones who insisted on infiltrating directly. I am simply here to be your shield, just in case."

"Yeah, I insisted because this is my home and I know secret places." Maria scowled. "Why didn't Uther and Elbert trust me?"

"I think they trust everything to go completely wrong, as many things have." He made to shrug, but shook his head instead to lessen the noise. "You two are valued friends to them."

"Well, _one_ of us is a little bit more than a 'friend' to one of them." Maria gave me a sly grin, and I ducked my head to hide my blush. The others had caught us kissing, though Elbert and Nicky had ensured we could make a hasty escape. I still was not… quite certain how to feel about… but I did think I could be happy. Right now, my fear trumped it, but there was enough happiness hiding in that terror to make me think it would win, eventually. "Oh, fine. Don't mind me, Wallace."

"You are simply annoyed because I am not trained for stealth, meaning you are limited in where you want to go." That was… "I am a knight of Caelin. It is important to be able to read people well."

"Right…" She gave him a look. "So, Hassar?"

"If I had seen his eyes prior to our confrontation, I would have known my assumptions, horrible as they are to begin with, were false. People with such clear eyes cannot be bad people, ultimately."

"How are you so certain of that?"

"Everyone in this group has such eyes." What. "Some are darker, of course, but the clarity is still there, and everyone here remains to do what they think is right." I was rather certain some were here for 'duty', but I caught his meaning. "And it's something an old teacher of mine taught me. He's never been proven wrong yet."

"Teacher?"

"A mercenary who served Caelin… oh, it's anywhere between ten and fifteen years ago now. Renault the Impervious."

"Oh, I've heard of him. We had a 'run on sight' order for him." Maria shrugged. "Of course, the order is old. There's a chance he's dead now."

"It would not surprise me, though the idea grieves me." His eyes narrowed suddenly. "Over there." He nodded in a direction, and it took me a second to realize what he was referring to.

"Oh, the leader," I murmured. He did not seem like a morph, but there was something very 'off' about him anyway. There was something old about his eyes as he talked to one of the morphs. Too old eyes in a rather young face. "Should we try to kill him immediately?"

"No, we better not," Maria sighed. Her hands twitched at her sides, and I knew she wanted to. "I wasn't kidding about hostages. Knowing my people, they're likely _children_." Ah, yes. It was one thing to risk adult hostages, and it was another thing _entirely_ to risk kids. "My people value the young, if only for the potential work we can put out." She shook her head. "Well, we're not going to get closer, so let's head back and see what Hassar's group found." If nothing, we would head out again to hunt for hostages. And free them. "Let's go."

* * *

Hassar's group had found an area that was heavily guarded, so logically, that was where the hostages were. We decided to split into three groups in order to rescue them: bait, rescuers, back-up. I was in the 'bait' group with Madelyn and Brendan. I had no idea why Uther and Elbert decided to send _two assassins_ out to be bait, but that is what happened. This meant that the three of us had to be as showy as possible.

We might have succeeded a little _too_ well. Though, to be fair, a building exploding tended to catch attention.

"So, how exactly did you two make the building explode?" Madelyn asked, as we ran away from both the mercenary and the fire. "For future reference, I mean."

"Dust and fire," Brendan answered, somehow managing a shrug. "Dust in high quantities, and fire to ignite it. It's called a 'dust explosion'. Hazard for miners, and millers."

"And you can do this with flour."

"Flour, sugar, pollen, probably other things."

"I still can't believe you two decided _that_ should be our distraction."

"Well, I still can't believe those two put two _assassins_ as bait." He was more vexed about this than _I_ was. "So many ways we could kill that mercenary. Or, you know, having actual skill in sneaking." Lockpicks too. I was fairly certain I was the only one of the group that could open a door without busting it down. "The knights would be better suited to this."

"Not as much as you would think," I absently reminded, nodding to an alley we could duck into. "After all, the snow and muck slow them down considerably. They could be showy, but they would not escape serious injury."

"Wallace," Brendan deadpanned as we slid into the alley and took up our weapons. "Wallace alone."

"I never said I _agreed_ with Uther and Elbert's madness. Just that the knights would not be as useful." But he was right about Wallace. He would have made a _fantastic_ distraction. Providing there were not a bunch of mages. "That said, we got the leader _away_ from the main bit of fighting, instead of just holding his attention." Maybe _that_ was the reason to the insanity.

"Well, it doesn't matter now," Madelyn pointed out. A shadow darkened the alleyway. The mercenary was here. "Here we go."

Not two seconds after she said that, the mercenary almost decapitated Brendan _and_ me. I ducked just in time, and Brendan blocked the blow, but I wondered how he could have moved so quickly. Then I realized he had not; he dual-wielded swords. And he wielded them both as if they were an extension of his own arms.

Brendan jumped back and switched to his bow to try and shoot the mercenary down. The mercenary instead just cut the arrows down with all the enthusiasm of swatting away a fly.

I lunged forward to strike at his back. While I scored a hit to his face, he twisted and actually slid his sword into the loop of the chakram to wrench it from my hands, almost hitting Brendan with it. He then lunged forward, elbowing me in the chest to send me into a wall. The crack to my head disoriented me briefly, and it was suddenly painful to breathe. He busted my ribs with that.

Brendan tried to shoot him again, but the mercenary dodged and aimed a kick to his leg. While Brendan dodged, the mercenary slammed his hilt at his temple to addle him, and then slashed his across the chest, drawing a great deal of blood.

Madelyn lunged forward as the mercenary tried to get a killing blow on Brendan. Though she managed to block the blow, her sword shattered under the force, gouging her cheek and her arm.

He made to strike a second time, and I struggled to pick up my sword or find my chakram to try and attack his back again. However, as Madelyn glared defiantly up at him, blood streaming down, the mercenary paused. An almost unnatural stillness, someone deciding whether or not to continue. His eyes implied he was seeing a 'ghost'.

"…Are you of Caelin?" the mercenary asked. I could not, for the life of me, place his accent. "Girl, are you of Caelin?" Why would _that_ matter?

"I am," Madelyn replied. Her voice was very dignified, even as she paled from the pain. She might have swayed, but Brendan supported her. "I am Madelyn, daughter of Lord Hausen, heir of Caelin." Madelyn, I did not think you should tell him that much. "Why?"

"I thought so. I recognized the eyes." He stepped back, posture relaxing as he sheathed his weapons. I took the opportunity to reclaim mine, just in case. "Why are you here?"

"We're trying to stop Ephidel, Bellinis, and Albert." Her eyes narrowed. "Your bosses?"

"Ephidel might think so, but I don't answer to him. I certainly don't have anything to do with those other two. I'm just here to keep the Ilians in line while their groups head on ahead." He sighed. "And I'm done. I surrender." …What.

"You are?" Madelyn looked just as surprised as I felt. Brendan looked like he thought he was hearing things. "Why?"

"I've worked in Caelin a few times. It is a good land, ruled by good people. Much better, at least, than my current employer." He sighed. "Maybe this is a sign that I truly need to get off the path. I will not kill one of House Caelin." This was just weird. "I'll call the morphs off. One second."

As he walked away, I could only stare. Then, slowly, I turned to Madelyn, who looked just as confused. "So…" I began slowly. I glanced at Brendan, but he threw up his hands in a 'I have no clue' fashion. "Madelyn?"

"No idea," Madelyn answered. She shrugged. "Well, I remember hearing something about Father hiring a mercenary to help train some of the squires. But that would have been when Wallace was young, and this man is much too young."

"Well, he could be older than he looks."

"I suppose, but considering he had been on the older side back then, apparently." Mmm, I got her point. By now, that mercenary would be dead or retired. "Well, regardless, let's check the others. The battle is over, after all."

"Somehow."

"Let's just take the weirdness in stride. The whole adventure has been strange."

"Okay, point."

* * *

His name was Renault. The mercenary's name was Renault. According to Wallace, that was the same name as the mercenary that had served in Caelin: Renault the Impervious. Maria had recognized the name as _super_ famous mercenary. Our Renault, though, did not seem to know Wallace, though. I said 'seem' because there was just… something about his eyes that made me wonder. But there was no way to call him out on it and, honestly, if the man wanted to hide, I had no right to judge. Especially when I had been right, and his blow had _broken_ my ribs, and very nearly killed me with a punctured lung. Madelyn and Brendan ended up with scars. Yodel was very mad at us.

However, Renault was also good on his word. He 'called off' the morphs, via killing them all easily, and pointed out where he had moved supplies as the Ilians slowly retook their home. Now, we were actually in Maria's house, sitting by the fireplace, and listening to Renault tell us what bits he knew.

"He's hunting for 'something important' here at Ice Dragon Mountain," Renault revealed. His words were calm, almost apathetic, and I was almost certain that this was a man who wished he had died years ago, but could not bring himself to just run himself through just yet. "I don't know what it is. I don't think even he knows."

"Is that so?" Elbert asked. Unlike the rest of us, who were wary, his eyes remained kind. Really, Elbert was too nice sometimes. "Why?"

"He's a madman obsessed with power, using people as tools to be discarded, but he is also a dark mage, a dark druid." I caught the hidden meaning in the words. The magic might have made him forget. "But he thinks it is a source of power. That's why he's here. After all, some people have been destroying most of the morphs he made from killing women and children." Renault gave us a droll look. "I wonder who could have ever been so rude."

"Well, is it not ruder to kidnap people and slowly kill them to steal their lifeforce?"

"Fair point, but I doubt he will ever care. As I said, people are tools for him to use and discard. No exceptions." Renault smiled slightly. "Those two you hunt found out the hard way. He has withdrawn, and Ephidel is ordered to simply observe. Those two are on their own, and if they wish to continue living, they must kill you."

"So, basically, we're fighting two cornered people," Uther sighed. All of us sighed at that. "Numbers?"

"Many," Renault replied. At that unhelpful answer, he shrugged. "Morphs all look alike. I could never get a count without wondering if I was counting the same one thirty times." That was a good point. "Anything else you need to know?"

"Later. I think, at the moment, we all need to rest." He glanced at the door. "I think we also have guests."

"Yeah, we do," Maria confirmed. She smiled happily. "Come on in! We're done being serious, Anthea!"

"Well, that's a surprise," a laughing voice called as the door opened. A girl not much older than Maria walked in, with a baby in one hand, and holding onto a shy little toddler with the other. "I heard you were back, but if you're working…"

"We're on break." Maria skipped over and hugged her friend before crouching down. "Hiya, Fiora! Have you been good for your mommy and sister?"

"Y-yes…" the little girl mumbled. She glanced at all of us with wide eyes, and hid behind her mother's legs. "Maybe…"

"I'm sure you're being the best sister." Maria's words made the little girl smile. "But let me hold Farina! I haven't met her yet!"

Their laughter followed the rest of us as we dispersed. I, being smart, followed Renault as he left. He did not look remotely surprised.

"I take it you have more questions," he noted absently, continuing to walk. I stayed a step behind him, with one hand hovering over my chakram. "What do you want to know?"

"Well, considering what we know about Bellinis and Albert, you shall have to forgive me for being skeptical," I deadpanned. "I still think it is weird that you went from killing us to helping us all because of Madelyn."

"And it is that different from you and the Black Fang, Huntress?" He did not seem to expect a reply, so I kept silent. "I have good memories of Caelin. I was happy there. Every time I worked there, I was happy."

"How old are you?"

"Much older than I look." We came upon a snow-covered park then, and he sat down on a bench by a frozen lake. After a moment, I sat down next to him, keeping my chakram in my lap. "I lost a friend."

"Hmm?"

"Why I joined up. I lost a dear friend, and while I was emotionally fragile, he came with a proposition. Resurrecting the dead." He did not look at me as he talked, but stared at the little kids slipping and sliding on the lake. They looked like they were having fun. "He made a monster instead, one filled with emotions. But the monster had the ability to seal magic, and so, it was thrown away."

"And your friend?"

"I hope that his soul is at peace, and not trapped in the monster." His tone implied he feared that was the case. "He had always been a strong magic user. We were a pair. He was the mage, and I was the warrior, and together, we could defeat anything, or so I thought."

"What killed him, then?"

"Illness." He smiled slightly. "Have you heard of the Black Plague?"

"In history books." There were two known epidemics in the past. One had been in the early years of the Scouring, wiping out large portions of the civilian population, and there had been another one a few hundred years later, focused in Ilia and northern Etruria. It was said that Saint Elimine first learned how to heal by curing one of her friends of it. "Why?"

"He died of it." Either this disease was more modern than I thought, or this man was literally centuries old. I had no idea which of the two was more likely. "Not even genius warrior can cure an illness." Oh… "So, I fell for the trick, plain and simple."

"Why did you not leave?"

"He told me that it was just a test, and that he would do better 'next time'. I believed those words. Each of the morphs became 'practice'; each person slaughtered became 'acceptable sacrifices'." So, he deluded himself because otherwise, the pain would become unbearable? "Of course, I was shaken recently."

"Why?"

"Not that long ago, I killed a famous mercenary in Etruria, right in front of his son." He paused. "I think it was his son, at least. The name the mercenary called was 'Lucius', but the child had androgynous features." Someone was going to have a hell of a time, then. "It takes seeing a child be horrified to really realize just how much of a beast you become." …Yeah, I knew that feeling. I had taken care of the street kids to avoid that horrifying revelation. "Left my dagger in the body. I couldn't bring myself to take it." Oh. "That one's quintessence finished Ephidel, I think. But I could be wrong."

"So, you helped make Ephidel?"

"Almost every morph you have seen, I helped make. It is only the more recent ones, those that Bellinis and Albert killed, that I had no part in." Well, that made working with him a little easier to swallow. "I was working on a new one he was making. Calls her 'Sonia'. Body built for bedrooms, if you catch my meaning."

"He made a morph sex toy?"

"No, he made a morph meant for seduction, and plans on utilizing her to secure more power." Oh, leading men by the balls. Great. "But that shouldn't be for a few more years. He'll have to go through tests to ensure that she is 'good enough' for him."

"Tests like…?"

"Probably something involving tricking people into giving up something precious and then slaughtering all of them. That's how he is."

"…Why did you ever listen to him?"

"The road to hell is paved with good intentions, and wishes." He closed his eyes and titled his head back as the snow began to fall. "In my grief, nothing mattered but getting my friend back. Getting him back, have him return to his family, his children… I didn't care about anyone else. If he could return, then anything I paid would have been worth it."

"But you failed."

"Yes, because he never would have paid the price to _actually_ resurrect my friend." It was possible at all? "He just wanted a skilled fighter who could kill people to gather quintessence." He smiled slightly. "I had missed the snow."

"Missed?"

"I was born here, a long, long time ago." Ah. "The one winter it didn't snow was the winter he died. Snow is nice."

I had no idea what to say after that, so I just… sat there with him, under the snow, and tried to think through what all he had said.

* * *

At some point, the snow started really coming down, and so, we all took up rooms in Castle Edessa specifically for visiting employers. Uther took the opportunity to talk with the Commander here about what a good rate for Maria would be, as he was _very_ serious about making sure she got good payment for all of this. Maria sat in as a 'learning experience', and I think to also make sure Uther did not get cheated. He, after all, would likely believe whatever he was told.

I took the opportunity to wander the castle, or at least, the small section we were allowed to wander in. You apparently could not go into the barracks part unless you were invited, but that was fine. You had a lovely view of the snow outside as you walked, and I was almost certain they had given the employers the 'best' rooms of the place.

As I walked, I noticed that I was not the only one wandering and looking out the window. Hassar was also here, and I found myself remembering how we met. We had our first conversation just like this.

"Hassar?" However, Madelyn was also here, so I kept my distance, hiding behind a statue lining the hallway. "Oh, there you are," she laughed, skipping over. I noticed her shift nervously, clasping her hands behind her back. "I was looking for you."

"Is something the matter?" Hassar asked gently. His eyes narrowed slightly and, hesitantly, he ran his fingers over the scar on her face. "Are you in pain?"

"No, I'm fine. Yodel just cleared me." She bit her lip before ducking her head. "I just… well, I decided something." Wait, was this…? "And I want to say it before I lose the courage." Was she really…?

"Courage?" Hassar's eyes were wide. He knew what was coming, and _I_ knew he never expected it. "What are you-?"

"I love you, Hassar." She brought her head up then, so that he could see her sincere eyes. Her face was horribly flushed, but her voice was even. "I love you, very much." She smiled warmly. "And I think I would like to stay with you, if you want."

"I…" Of course, Hassar looked like he had been sucker-punched. "Madelyn…"

"You don't have to give me an answer yet, or at all." Her good mood stayed rather firm, but I could see her hands shake slightly. "I just wanted to tell you, that's all." She curtseyed. "I'll talk to you later!" And she was off, fleeing as the last of her courage disappeared.

Hassar watched her go, one hand lifting as if to reach out for her. But he held himself back, and I knew he was thinking of his wife. I knew he was remembering that death, his son's death, and wondering if he even had a right to…

"Well, looks like you shall have to make a choice as well," I noted, stepping out from my hiding place. Since he did not react, I knew he had known I was there the whole time, even if Madelyn had not. "After all, while she gave you the option to ignore it, that really is quite rude."

"But I…" Hassar began. He visibly groped for words, before shaking his head. "She…"

"She made her choice. If you feel the same, she wants to live with you, even knowing what it could cost her." I shrugged. "If I'm not allowed to let the past chain me, neither are you." I patted his shoulder. "Go talk to Elbert and Nicky. I'm sure they'd _love_ to give you advice."

"I… yes, I think that is a good idea." He hesitated before bowing his head. "Thank you."

"Go on. I am certain they shall wait to tease until you are comfortable." I waved him goodbye as he half-ran down the hall. He was not going to run anymore either. I was certain of it. What he would decide remained to be seen, but he was not going to avoid it. That, more than anything, would be helpful to him.

"So, what's going on?" The words made me turn, and I smiled when I saw Uther walk up. "I saw Mads, and then I saw Hassar," he explained. I shrugged, keeping the smile on my face. "You're keeping quiet."

"Of course I am," I replied loftily. He laughed in reply and held out his hand. When I took it, he brought mine up to kiss it. "How did negotiations go?"

"I think we came up with a price that all three of us are satisfied by." He looked out the nearby window, eyes narrowed. "This is a surprisingly beautiful country, despite how inhospitable it is."

"If you say so." I did have to admit I had a greater appreciation for snow. "Still, all the white reminds me of an Etrurian wedding." _Everyone_ wore white for an Etrurian wedding, especially when the attendees were nobility.

"Really?" He looked intrigued. "In Lycia, white is forbidden to anyone besides the bride. Not even the tablecloths are allowed to be white."

"That is a little extreme. The tablecloths are expected to be colorful in Etruria."

"Probably to keep everyone from going blind."

"I suppose." Some part of me felt like laughing, but the urge died down as I thought more about weddings, and more about… "Hey, Uther?"

"Yes?"

"I… I do not think I would ever want a marriage or wedding." And that might be bad, for the two of us. He was, after all, the heir of Ostia. "I…"

"That's fine." He laughed bitterly, cheer fading as old pain came into his eyes. "I don't exactly have faith in the sanctity of marriage. Sure, it's heartwarming to see friends get married, but my own father proved how easily those vows are broken. I see no need for the fuss."

"Then what about children? An heir?" This was the more serious part. "I… I do not want to be pregnant. I do not really want to be a mother. I never have."

"I already have two heirs." The pain slowly disappeared as he smiled softly. "My brothers, if you'll recall."

"But will you not want to be a father?" I remembered how easily he had taken care of baby Anastasia. "I mean…"

"The idea is appealing, but I have a much younger brother. I have Hector." Well, yes, he did… "And I already know I'm going to have to raise him. My parents are too busy." He shrugged. "Raising Hector is close enough for me, if it's close enough for you."

"You want _me_ to help raise Hector?"

"I think you'll give him a very unique perspective."

"He would drive you mad."

"And I will love every second of it." Carefully, he reached up and caressed my cheek. After a moment of hesitation, I leaned into the motion. "We'll be fine, Amanda. All relationships have compromises."

"…Okay…" I smiled, relieved. "The final battle begins tomorrow."

"Yes, it does." He leaned in, just a little. "May I kiss you?"

"Please."

* * *

 _People_

 _This might be the last time I get to write down everyone's names. I think… I'm just going to list them, and get some sleep._

 _Amanda (me), Uther, Hassar, Maria, Madelyn, Elbert, Marcus, Eagler, Nicky, Yodel, Urien, Breandan, Wallace… and now this mysterious Renault. It startles me that we traveled so much, fought so much, when we're a group of... well, it is fourteen members now._

 _This is all bizarre, but we are heading to the final battle. It ends soon._

* * *

Author's Note: Renault is a very interesting character, but his supports can seriously lead to wild mass guessing. I go with the explanation that he's actually centuries old, kept alive by quintessence, and stuck with Nergal even after he 'resurrected' his friend as Kishuna out of guilt. He gathered quintessence, working all over, and eventually had a change of heart. Why? Because it's interesting.

The 'famous mercenary' he mentions is Lucius's father, as revealed during their supports in FE7. His offhand 'test' prediction is a reference to what Sonia does to Nino's family (in about two or three years).

Last of the growth rates:

Nicholas – 105% HP, 35% Str, 0% Mag, 40% Skl , 40% Spd, 10% Lck, 15% Def, 10% Res

Yodel – 40% HP, 0% Str, 45% Mag, 40% Skl, 40% Spd, 30% Lck, 20% Def, 40% Res

Urien – 35% HP, 0% Str, 50% Mag, 45% Skl, 40% Spd, 25% Lck, 30% Def, 30% Res

Brendan – 60% HP, 50% Str, 0% Mag, 30% Skl, 45% Spd, 20% Lck, 35% Def, 15% Res

Wallace – 60% HP, 50% Str, 5% Mag, 40% Skl, 30% Spd, 20% Lck, 45% Def, 5% Res

(No growth rates for Renault; pretend he's a max level hero)

Next chapter – Ice Dragon Mountain (also, I miscounted last time. We're _three_ chapters from the end, including epilogue)


	32. Chapter 32) Ice Dragon Mountain

Chapter 32) Ice Dragon Mountain

* * *

 _Father and Uncle Dimitri were inseparable, and everyone always talked about how the two would easily switch places to pull pranks while growing up. It made sense, since they were identical twins, both with the same shade of brown hair and amber eyes. They grew a bit apart as Uncle Dimitri started learning how to rule Hanover, while Father focused more on training the horses._

 _Still, when Uncle Dimitri married Aunt Marianne, Father was his best man, and when Nicky was born, Father was the godfather. And when Father married Mother, and had me five years later? Uncle Dimitri was best man, and godfather too._

* * *

Ice Dragon Mountain was the tallest, and coldest, mountain in Ilia, and you apparently normally needed pegasi to climb it. I said 'apparently' because there was _a_ trail that you could reach the top via foot, and Renault led us easily through it, despite it being snow-covered. Clearly, he had walked it before.

"We just passed the place of offering," Maria observed quietly at some point during the hike. Her smile was soft as we passed by a small shrine made of blue and white stone. "The festival for it will be soon."

"I take it that it comes from something predating the Saint Elimine Church?" Elbert asked, smiling at the shrine. The snow looked strange in his hair. "It's beautiful."

"It is, and yes, though I've been told this shrine was built by Barigan after the war, because the original had been destroyed." She laughed a little. "It's for the Ice Dragon."

"The Ice Dragon?"

"Yeah, the Ice Dragons used to live here in Ilia, and they would help our ancestor survive through the blizzards. Edessa was the city they made, but they gave it to the humans to keep them warm and safe." This was definitely a new take on dragons. You heard all about how terrifying they were in Etruria, and how horrific the destruction of Aquelia had been. "So, every year, the people would hold a festival to thank them. We keep it up even now, in hopes that their blessing will help us through the year."

"Is that so?" Elbert laughed a little. "A shame I'll never get to meet one of these ice dragons. They sound fascinating."

"Yeah, you hear all the time about children who stay up all night here to meet one, but caught colds instead." Maria's smile hinted _she_ had been one of those children, once.

We lapsed back into silence again, following Renault cautiously. Not just for the snow, but most of us were skeptical at his sudden change of heart. I knew some, like Marcus and Nicky, were prepared to ram their lances through his skull, just in case. But even with that, the silence was not uncomfortable. It was filled with anticipation, as the end was in sight, and a little bit of sadness, because an ending was coming. But we all knew that new beginnings were on the horizon too.

The thought of new beginnings reminded me of Madelyn and Hassar, and I glanced at them. They were side by side, not quite holding hands, and I was certain everyone (except maybe Wallace) knew that Madelyn had confessed. As far as I knew, Hassar had still given no answer. When he saw me looking, though, he smiled tightly, his eyes telling me what I wanted to know. Yes, he was thinking about it. Yes, he would make his decision on what to say, and he would not run away. That was all I cared about. Madelyn deserved an answer, after all.

So, I brought my attention forward, noticing Urien scribbling down something as we walked, with Yodel keeping him from falling on his face. Research notes, likely. Urien was always a bit of a scholar, though his duties often took precedence. Still…

All of a sudden, we came on an open plain, filled with morphs. And, at the edge of the plain, where the path clearly continued… was a familiar mousy person I did not expect to see on the battlefield.

"Is that Bellinus?" I whispered, startled. It looked like him, but he looked… "Gold eyes and black hair?" He looked like a morph.

"My lord Bellinis decided to repay my master's generosity with violence!" The booming voice made us look up. There, on a ledge, was Ephidel, perfectly relaxed, and even sipping what looked like wine. You would think he were waiting for an opera to start, not a battle. "As a result, my master decided to use him in an experiment! Bringing back the dead!" What.

"So, he tried to do it again," Renault deadpanned, looking beyond bored. However, his posture was tense. "Manipulation of quintessence to resemble the person." That was just sick. Sick and _wrong_. "Seems he failed."

"Well, that might have been the modifications." Ephidel shrugged. "After all, dear Renault, my lord Bellinis had no combat experience. Pathetic for a Bernese man!" He laughed, clearly amused. The rest of us did not share the humor. "But are you truly turning your back on our master?"

"Your master, and mine no longer. I made my choices, and I will continue to walk my own path."

"A shame." Ephidel did actually look a bit remorseful. "I am fond of you. You are, after all, partially my maker." He shook his head. "But now, I sit and watch. My master wants to see how well he does, and whether or not Albert can prove himself useful again."

"Even after losing most of the force he's spent centuries building." Renault looked so done with everything. "No, you're here to observe this group, so that he can come up with safeguards."

"Oh, drat, you saw right through me." Ephidel was almost comically distressed. "Woe is me. Whatever shall I do now that you've seen through my cunning ruse?" He snapped his fingers, and the morphs suddenly began moving. "I suppose just get to my work. It's not like you can stop any of it."

"Delays are victory enough against him. I imagine he's quite annoyed and angered at having his 'perfect' plans destroyed."

If Ephidel had a reply, none of us heard it. The morphs charged, and we were too busy fighting.

 _"All around the mulberry bush, the monkey chased the weasel."_

Brendan shot down one with a well-placed arrow, and crippled two more. I took down the crippled ones, blocking and eviscerating as needed. At some point, I ended up back-to-back with Renault as two morphs charged us. With only a look, the two of us switched targets, me rolling over his back while he ducked under me, and took them out easily.

 _"The monkey thought 'twas all in fun. Pop! Goes the weasel!"_

Elbert had discarded his normal sword for a lance, probably so that he, Madelyn, and Uther had full command of the 'weapon triangle' between them. Madelyn ducked and weaved through the morphs, striking their joints to make them fall. Uther slammed his axe into the fallen, crushing them into pieces as Elbert leapt over his head and drive his lance into an approaching morph.

 _"A penny for a spool of thread, a penny for a needle."_

Nicky, Eagler, and Marcus took care of the 'farther' morphs, using their horses to herd them into a circle. Nicky let one corner of the penning 'slip', and the morphs charged for the opening, leaving their backs open for Eagler and Marcus to strike them down.

 _"That's the way the money goes. Pop! Goes the weasel!"_

Wallace laughed, the sound booming loud enough to make me nervous for an avalanche. Perhaps the morphs feared the same, if morphs felt anything, as many focused on him. But Wallace's shield held strong and true, so all the morphs did was leave themselves as targets for Hassar's arrows as he circled around, sniping.

 _"Up and down the city road, in and out of the eagle."_

Maria, taking advantage of her pegasus, headed straight for Bellinus, with Urien and Yodel supporting her with magic. Bellinus attacked almost immediately, actually catching Maria in the face as she sacrificed defense for an extra bit of power. She pulled back after crippling his arm, letting Yodel heal her as Urien threw a thunder spell at Bellinis.

 _"That's the way the money goes. Pop! Goes the weasel."_

The spell struck true, and down Belliniss fell. As he did, he slowly broke apart into dust, a final confirmation of what had been done to him. I could _almost_ feel sorry for him, but I ultimately did not. He had made his choices, and these were the consequences. He made a pact with a demon, and he paid for it, just as the tales always warned.

Besides, I did not have the time to do so. I had a bad feeling as to whom we were fighting next. And I could only hope it ended up better than the first.

* * *

Next Chapter – Final Chapter


	33. Final Chapter) Home

Final Chapter – Home

* * *

 _However, everyone is mortal. When I was young, barely old enough to remember my parents, Father was killed in a freak stampede. Mother died not long after, supposedly of heartbreak. And, worse, within a year, Uncle Dimitri and his wife, Aunt Imalia, were buried alive in a landslide. And so, just like that, Nicky and I were orphaned, and we were sent to live with our grandfather._

 _From there, I think you know the story._

* * *

We did not even stick around to see if Ephidel was still there or not. We just continued forward, leaving the bloody, dusty snow behind us. And, thanks to Renault, we soon found ourselves in a ruined temple made of the same stone as the shrine we had seen before.

"This reminds me of that Dragon Knight temple in Aquelia," I whispered as we stepped inside. Truly, it was just as grand and old, and just as ruined. Though, this had more ice and snow about, of course. "Think this might have been similar?"

"It could be," Nicky agreed, eyes sparkling. "I can believe something important was left in a place like this." Yeah, no kidding. "Maria?"

"Don't look at me," Maria immediately retorted. Her eyes were wide as she gently, absently, soothed her shaking pegasus. Something about this place did _not_ agree with it. "I never knew this was even here."

"So, this isn't where, say, Maltet is hidden?"

"That's a secret guarded by the lord of Edessa, as per Barigan's decree, so if it is, I certainly wouldn't know." Her eyes narrowed. "Why?"

"Well, Aureola is hidden in the Tower of the Saint. I figured the rest might be hidden in similar places, _and_ it would fit the description."

"Easy on the speculation," Hassar chided. He was frowning, tilting his head to the side. "There is movement up ahead." We all stilled at the warning, and all I heard was silence. "This way." He took point, and the rest of us fell into step behind him.

Of course, dread flooded us as we found the source of the noise only Hassar had heard. Morphs. Not a surprise, but there were morphs _everywhere_ , in every little corridor we could see, and likely a few we could not, considering just how many _walls_ there were. It was like this place was a maze…

However, as I looked over the morphs, I saw someone in the distance walking away. Blonde hair… it had to be Albert. We had to fight through the morphs to reach him, or find another way around. Since there were so many of us, though, we really would have to do the former…

"Go." All eyes turned to Elbert, but _his_ were on Uther and me. "You two go," he repeated, words firm. He nodded to where Albert had been, and I knew the others had seen him too. "We can handle things here." But…

"We'll play the bait, and you two make sure the leader can't direct them," Nicky added. He shrugged. "Besides, Mandy… you're an assassin. Assassins are best suited for _assassinations_." Well, yes, but…

"But considering everything, you really do need a back up, and Uther will serve nicely," Brendan 'helpfully' explained. He was smiling. "I have no idea, really, why everyone is so insistent, but they are, and I'm sure there's a lovely reason for it." But… "Just shut up and go."

"And be back in time for tea!" Madelyn quipped, playfully pushing the two of us. "Go on. We'll see you when everything is over!"

Still, we both hesitated, but everyone else just smiled at us. Even Renault looked encouraging. So, Uther and I smiled back and took off down a different corridor, hunting for a path.

Of course, it felt like there really was only one path in the whole place. What sort of temple only had _one_ path? Should it have not been open?

"This is the weirdest temple I have ever seen," Uther complained. He slowed to a stop, frowning heavily. "Okay, granted, I haven't been to many, but the whole point of a temple is for worshipers to make their way inside, not send them on a merry little chase!"

"Maybe there was a 'tests' to prove yourself worthy?" I suggested. After all, it was not as if many records preceded the Scouring. Most had been lost during it, and the rise of the Saint Elimine Church.

"Well, I think we should be bad students and cheat." He glanced around before his eyes narrowed at the wall. "There's a large crack here."

"Are you seriously going to break the wall?"

"Well, it's not like he doesn't know we're here anyway." Uther settled his stance and swung back. "Let's try this!" And then he swung the axe forward, knocking down the wall cleanly. "There we go."

"I do not think the Ilians will much appreciate you destroying a temple."

"Well, I won't tell if you won't." He shrugged, smiling proudly. "Come on. Let's go."

"Yeah, yeah." Rolling my eyes, I followed him through the destroyed wall, and we found the area far more open in this section. Distant sounds of fighting echoed down the hall, a hint that our friends were fighting. I could only hope they were all right.

After what felt like an eternity of walking, we finally came upon a large open room with a raised platform on the other side. And there was Albert, sitting in a throne made of crystal, resembling sparkling ice. He looked almost bored, but he smiled slowly when he saw Uther and me approach.

"How good of you to come!" he mocking greeted, standing up and bowing to us. "You are such a sweet fiancé, to come straight to me, Amanda."

"Yeah, so sweet that I can kill you," I retorted dryly, to hide how much I wanted to shake. "Shall we get onto that?"

"As always, your fire is your most beautiful aspect." He drew his sword, and I could only stare in shock at it. "Like what you see?"

"The hell is that sword?"

"Is it not a beauty?" He held the blade up, to catch the light. Except it just seemed to swallow it up as strange shadowy flames flickered around the edges. "The Darkness Sword, a recreation of something of legend, granted to me for my continued loyalty." More like he was being used as a test subject for it. "Observe!"

He lunged forward suddenly, and swung. I managed to unfreeze my legs in time to dodge, or thought I had. But the shadowy flame flicked around, almost like a whip, and caught me in the back. How did…?

"That is the beauty of this blade!" Albert laughed, smirking. "For every one swing, two hits are given!" Oh, just what we needed. Albert having a twice as many strikes. "Such a fitting blade for-"

"A pompous ass who needs a special sword to even have a chance," Uther _deadpanned_ before throwing a lance at Albert's head. He ducked, sadly, but it did make him shut up, thankfully. "By the way, _great_ location." I wondered what he meant, but then realized that the throne room was lined with suits of armor, with intact weapons, specifically lances. "I think I have about twenty different ones to choose from, and should get at least one hit each before they all break."

"What's this?" Albert scoffed. "A duel for the lady's hand?"

"The lady in question is not a trophy to be won!" I snapped, livid. The fear was slowly being replaced with anger. "Just shut up and die already!" I lunged forward, only to be sent flying back, into the throne. "Agh!" I… could not get my feet under me. Was this _actually_ made of ice?!

"Oh, Amanda, why do you make me hurt you?" Albert sighed. He casually twisted to deflect another thrown lance. "And you left me for him? Seriously?" He rolled his eyes and turned to face Uther. "I suppose I should just prove who is better."

"Look, I'm mostly here to kill you for murdering a bunch of innocent people," Uther retorted. He settled into a stance with another stolen lance; I recognized it as something Wallace taught him. "Though, on a personal level, I am _very_ pissed off you hurt someone I care about." I tried to use the talk as a distraction to stand, but I kept on slipping. "But I am not one of your victims, so I can't kill you for that."

"You can't kill me at all." Albert lunged forward again, striking at Uther. He blocked the first blow, but the 'second' shadow strike caught him across the chest. "You're nothing but a Lycian! You're barely better than those rats on the plains!"

"Right, right, Etruria is better at everything." Uther's tone was dry as he ducked under another slice. But the shadow caught him across the back. "Including being a snobbish bastard of a psychopath."

"At least die like a proper person." Albert twisted and sent Uther into the wall. "It's all you're good for." He leveled the tip of the blade at Uther's throat. I finally just grabbed the throne itself to stand up. My footing was bad. "Though, if you have any last words, I suppose I can hear them."

"Yeah." Uther smirked at him, blood trickling down his face. But he wasn't looking at Albert. He was looking at me as I got to solid ground at last. "Don't turn your back on an assassin."

I rushed forward, catching Albert across the back. His scream was more from shock than pain, but I was glad to hear it anyway. I was glad to see _him_ bleeding.

"How much did you practice to be all dramatic on that stupid ice throne?" I mocked, settling into a stance, chakram in one hand and a sword in the other. "Freaking hell, that was a pain."

"You…!" Albert growled, slashing out. I ducked under and slid past him to avoid the second hit. "Why do you keep defying me?!"

"I grew up!" I twisted and hooked my leg around his, pulling it out from under him to stagger him. "I grew up, away from you!" I jumped back as he managed another slice, catching the 'shadow strike' across the cheek. "And you are going to pay for killing all those women and children!"

"They're nothing!" He dodged my strikes and rushed me, trying to pin me to a wall. "You're nothing!" Behind him, though, I saw Uther standing up again, grabbing yet another lance. "You're nothing without me, Amanda! You _belong_ to me!"

"Then you are no one, because _no one owns me_!" I kicked his knee out, and jumped back as Uther slammed his lance into Albert's arm, pinning him to the wall and sending the Darkness Sword spinning across the floor. "I am the Huntress, and _a hunting I shall go_ ~!"

I lunged forward, and drove my sword into his gut and my chakram into his neck. A quick twist and blood was flying like rose petals, splattering across the wall and floor. Coating me.

But I did not care. Albert was dead within seconds. _That_ is all that mattered to me.

"All of this for such a worthless place!" Both of us whirled at the whining, and I was startled to see it was Ephidel, collecting something white in his palm. Where the _hell_ did he come from?! "We lost so many and there's nothing here but dust and mold," he continued to gripe, eyes blazing in annoyance. "Why did my master insist something important was here? Bah, no matter." He closed his fist around the white light. "We're done here. Have a pleasant day, you two. I look forward to our next meeting." And then he was gone, in a flash of magic. That was… um…

"He didn't even take the sword," Uther deadpanned. He scooped it up, and eyed it cautiously. "Well, I guess it's ours now?"

"Yeah, I suppose," I murmured. I felt… I had no idea. Drained, perhaps? He was dead. Albert was dead. It seemed so… strange. And I felt… drained and jittery. "I cannot believe Ephidel just left."

"Well, he was supposed to just observe at this point. Shame. I would have liked to have killed him." He sighed. "If I hear the name again, I am definitely sending my best operatives after him."

"Not yourself?"

"Somehow, I doubt he'd show himself in a place I can go to." That was a good point. "You okay?"

"I… shall get back to you on that." I managed a smile, but when he moved to go to my side, I shook my head. "I do not think I want to be touched right now."

"Understandable." His smile was reassuring, and that made me relax. "So, nothing here? After everything?"

"I suppose so." Cautiously and curiously, I wandered the room. I was curious about a hidden door or something, but I could not find anything but a side corridor that did not seem to hold importance. "Is it silent?"

"Yeah, I hope that's a good sign." His tone was rather cheerful for what were normally 'concerned' words. "Shall we go check?"

"Well…" Something fluttered out of the corner of my eye, and when I turned, I caught sight of impossibly long hair swinging around a corner. Who was…? "I think I shall scout this way, just in case."

"Be careful," he replied. I knew he was smiling, even without turning around. "I'll work on getting Albert's body out of here, and this stupid sword. I'm sure the rest of our group would love to see the body."

"Have fun." I waved over my shoulder as I went around the corner and walked down the hallway. Threadbare curtains fluttered as I walked, scattering dust behind me. Though, despite the dust, I did not find any footsteps suggesting the owner of the hair I swore I had seen. Had the dust just settled over them?

The hallway suddenly ended in a broken door that creaked when I pushed it open. The room inside was dusty, moldy, but… it was almost like a house. You could even see traces of the people who had lived here. For instance, there were still dishes, made of clay, set out for a meal no one ever ate. Four places on the rotting table. A mother, a father, and two children? Where were they? How long had it been?

I walked through the room, noticing it was a whole system, really just like a house. However, I wrinkled my nose at all the smells. It just… it was a tomb. It was a tomb for the family that had lived here. And it smelled like it. All dust and mold, with some rotting…

Movement out of the corner of my eye made me whirl, and I thought I caught sight of that impossibly long hair again. I followed it, wondering who the owner was, hoping I could catch them this time.

Instead, though, I simply found another room, one that looked like it had belonged to children, based on how small the splintering beds were. The blankets were ratty, holey, and the pillows were more mold than cloth. But the nightstand between the two was surprisingly intact, as was the picture resting on it.

Cautiously, afraid it would break apart at a touch, I picked it up, eyes narrowing as I studied it. It was the family that had lived here. Age had turned the picture yellow, making it hard to tell colors, but it was clear how happy the four were.

I froze as I suddenly sensed something, and slowly turned to figure out what it was. To my surprise, it was a woman. A woman with that impossibly long hair I had seen, smiling softly at me. But she was oddly… transparent…

"I am looking at a ghost," I breathed, eyes widening. The woman's smile grew. "This… this was your home." She nodded, and I looked at the picture, noting the 'father', who looked so happy, so loving. "…This is 'him', is it not?" The madman who did this… was the man in the picture. "He wanted to return home." But his home was gone. The people who had made it were gone. Long gone. "That's why there was 'something important'." Renault's words flitted through my head, and I remembered how he had mentioned, specifically, that this 'master' had been a user of dark magic. "But he forgot why."

Something cool touched my cheek, and I nearly squeaked when I realized it was the woman. Her smile was sad as she nodded once more, confirming my thoughts. She pointed to the picture, and I thought… I thought I knew what she was asking.

"…I do not think we can stop him." At this point, we could only delay. We knew this, and yet… it almost hurt. "I am so sorry."

Her smile warmed, and she patted me on the head. It felt like snow falling on me. I thought it was her way of saying 'it is okay.'

"Is it really?"

She nodded, bringing her hand to her mouth as if she were giggling. She pointed at the children in the picture.

"Your children will save him?" That was the only conclusion I could come up with, but she shrugged, shaking her head slightly. "Okay, so not that exactly…" Then maybe… "The future will save him?" I smiled wryly as she nodded. "I do not like leaving others to complete what should be _my_ job."

She seemed to laugh, again, and leaned forward, mouth close to my ear. _"No one does."_ Her voice felt like ice was creepy down my spine. _"But if you play the bait, then they can do it. Everyone focuses far more on those they know, versus those they don't."_ There was a soft, soft sound, almost like a laugh. _"So, be the distraction for the future, little dragon, and become the motivators for those who will save him."_

I reeled back at the words, startled, but when I blinked, she was gone, as if she had never been. I almost wondered if I had imagined it all, except I was still in this place I could not have found on my own, and I still felt like I had jumped into a frozen lake. And those words echoed through my head.

I looked down at the picture, and set it back down before walking out of the rooms and returning to my friends. I could not bear to take it away from the ghost, especially one clearly waiting for her husband to join her at last.

* * *

Fire and the smell of burning meat greeted me as I stepped outside of the temple. Some people might be freaked out by their friends dancing and laughing around a burning body, but considering it was me, and considering the body was _Albert_ , I thought they were actually being a little tame.

"Ah, Amanda, there you are," Urien called, the first to see me. He beckoned me over and brought up his healing staff when I did. "As you can see, we are all alive and well."

"Yeah, I noticed," I replied dryly. Still, I smiled, relieved to see everyone. "Was it close?"

"Not really. The walls were helpful in funneling them." Ah, that made sense. "Really, though, the trouble begins now."

"How so?"

"Well, for Nicholas and I, we have to try Albert posthumously." …Oh. Yeah, Etruria did not take kindly to such things. "It's going to be a mess, and that's just in Etruria. Lycia lost some lords to this, Ilia will have to undergo reforms for their mercenary contracts, Bern is still adapting…" He sighed heavily. "And not a word of this can come out, unless we won't a war. _Especially_ since Bern was technically involved with Mordred's near death experience."

"Well, we knew that was how it would happen, ultimately." I laughed as he simply sighed again. "So, how do I check out?"

"You're scarred, again, but otherwise, fine." My disappointment must have showed on my face as he gave me a sympathetic smile. "Think of it as a trophy? You got it killing him."

"Yeah, I hope I can think that way." For now, I just hated that he had _marked_ me. Again. "But now is not the time for such talk."

"No, it is not." He smiled warmly at me. "We're all just waiting for the body to turn to ash, and then…" He shrugged. "Well, I need to go check the others."

"Have fun." I had a feeling he was just avoiding the inevitable 'what were we all going to do' question. Let us bask in the cheer for a moment. _Then_ we could figure these things out.

I debated joining the others by the fire, but then I noticed Hassar and Madelyn were not among them. Curious, and worried, I glanced around and, when I saw them not far away, crept a little closer to them instead, to eavesdrop. After all, Hassar had a soft smile on his face, and that hinted a lot to how the conversation was going to go. Which meant I wanted to 'happen to overhear' for later teasing.

"About before, Madelyn," he whispered. Madelyn's eyes widened, but hope filled them. She had noticed the smile too. "If you are still certain, I would be honored to spend the rest of my life with you."

"Really?" she gasped, smile brighter than the sun. "You mean it?"

"Sacaeans do not lie." He looked a little put out. "Of course I mean it."

"Well, typically, there is a certain reply that might put my doubts to-" She squeaked when Hassar leaned down and kissed her cheek. "U-um…" Her face went red. "Hey, if you're going to steal a kiss…"

"I would prefer to ask for one, rather than 'steal'." He was smirking now. "But I would also like to wait for that. Is that okay, my love?"

"Y-yeah…" She was giggling now, leaning into him. "That's fine." She looked up at him. "Do you mind if we go to Caelin for a bit? There's something I want to get, and even if his response is going to be bad, I _do_ want to tell my father."

"I will stay by you, no matter what comes." The two of them hugged before rejoining the others. I pretended to be distracted by the pretty stars sparkling overhead before looking around to see if anyone else had noticed the little scene. It seemed like Eagler was the only one, likely because Wallace, Marcus, Elbert, and Uther were all laughing at some joke, and Brendan was getting checked by Urien and Yodel. He caught me watching and smiled, both soft and sad. He was happy, if a little bittersweet.

I thought Maria might have witnessed it too, though, as she was quick to bring the focus to 'serious' matters, instead of teasing Hassar and Madelyn for being close. "So, I guess everyone is just going to make their way home, yeah?" she noted lightly. The cheer of the group slowly… well, it did not disappear. Muted might be a better word. "Brendan, you want a ride to Bern?"

"Well, I won't mind," Brendan replied after a moment of staring. The rest of us were confused too. "But, Maria, you're already…"

"I'm still on my year of field training, meaning I _can't_ stay home for long." Maria grinned. "However, it should be over by the time I get back, so I can do one last escort job and get you home."

"In that case, I happily accept. Thank you." He looked at the others. "Everyone else going home, then?"

"Well, I imagine we'll overnight at Edessa first," Elbert pointed out. He was smiling. "After all, it is _quite_ late, and I don't know about you all, but I am exhausted." He did not look it. "But I suppose we should work on travel arrangements after that."

I stayed clear out of those discussions, instead crouching by the fire to watch Albert burn. By this point, he was barely recognizable as a person, and I wondered why for a moment before remembering that magical flames burned hotter than normal flames. It would not be long at all, before his body was nothing but ash and dust.

"Ashes to ashes, dust to dust…" I whispered. Some part of me was tempted to poke the body, to make it break faster, but I checked the urge. Just being near the fire was enough to make my skin dry out, and a fire that burned a corpse had no qualms charring a living hand. "I hope Saint Elimine leaves you to rot in the afterlife." Surely even _she_ could not be that forgiving, right?

"You think I'd be condemned for praying for that?" The joking tone made me look up and see Nicky walking up. "Maybe Saint Elimine will listen, since I haven't prayed in a while," he continued, eyes dancing with silent laughter. I silently pointed at Yodel. "Yes, I know there's a priest in the group. But it's Yodel. He's used to this by now."

"I suppose." I shrugged and stood up slowly, stretching. "So, are discussions over?"

"For now, yeah." He grinned suddenly. "Renault, apparently, shall come with us to Etruria." He laughed at my incredulous look. "Yeah, I know. Yodel offered, citing something about the peace of the church, and Renault decided to take him up on it. Maybe he's just tired of the way of the sword." Maybe… "But that isn't why I came over." His smile was soft and warm. "You are welcome to come to Hanover and live there with us, but I have a feeling you want to go to Ostia."

"I do, yes," I confirmed, unable to keep from smiling. I closed my eyes as I thought of what I wanted to do, and nodded. "So, I have a favor to ask."

"Yes?"

"Officially list me as deceased?" I opened my eyes and noted his surprise. "Let me have that little bit of freedom. I am, after all, an assassin."

"True." He crossed his arms, and frowned a bit before nodding. "Well, I hope you know that just because I will-"

"You are always my family." My smile warmed. "I know, Nicky. We cannot server our ties _that_ easily. We shall write, and meet up in safe locations. I will not disappear. I just want people I do not trust to think I am dead."

"All right." He gave me a warm hug. "Love you, Mandy."

"Love you too, Nicky." I pulled away, and gave him another smile, before walking over to where Uther stood, laughing at something Elbert said to Marcus.

He smiled as he saw me, though, and held his hand out to me. His smile grew when I took it. "So, with luck, this does stop all the murders," he noted lightly. He looked over the group, laughing softly. "I mostly kept my promise."

"And our bargain is complete," I added, tone just as light. I thought of when we first met, and could not help but tease him, just a little. "So, Lord, what do you say to making another?"

"I think I would be delighted, Huntress." Slowly, giving me time to refuse, he lifted my hand to kiss it. "I think I would be very, very delighted."

* * *

 _Fates of our little group_

· _Hassar, Eagle of the Sacae, and Madelyn, Lycian Princess_

o _The two went to Caelin, and stayed for a year as Madelyn put her affairs in order. During that time, Hassar served with Caelin, helping to train the soldiers in archery and horsemanship. When it came time for them to depart, Lord Hausen's reaction was explosive, and the two eloped into the night, making it safely to the plains._

· _Maria, Wind Rider_

o _After dropping off Brendan back in Bern, she returned to Ilia to become a full-fledged pegasus knight. Though her injuries scarred, she had many admirers, though she ignored them all. Last that I heard, she was on track to becoming the Commander of the Pegasus Knights._

· _Elbert, Paladin of Pherae_

o _Elbert returned home to Eleanora, who apparently cried tears of relief to see him safe. Eliwood was apparently so happy to see him back that he happily declared his first word: 'papa'. Elbert would not shut up about that for weeks, but while he boasted, he worked on strengthening Pherae, and becoming an even more beloved ruler._

· _Marcus, Loyal Knight_

o _Marcus returned with Elbert and took his place among the knights. His skill and valor during the adventure, though, earned him a promotion, and it does not seem long at all before he is the Commander of Pherae's Knights._

· _Eagler, Knight of Caelin_

o _Eagler accompanied Hassar and Madelyn back to Caelin, and set about doing his duties. True to his word, when he suspected Madelyn and Hassar were going to leave, he arranged to be at his estates, and thus was safely away. He left them a 'wedding present', a beautiful shawl to help Madelyn ward off the cold._

· _Nicky/Nicholas, Paladin of Hanover_

o _Nicky returned to Aquelia, using his influence to cut through all the political bullshit and get Albert tried posthumously as a traitor. It made him enemies, but the clear respect he commanded kept them silent. He remained in the capital until Mordred's coronation before happily returning home to his family._

· _Yodel, Kind Bishop_

o _Yodel painstakingly wrote down everything that occurred during this adventure, using our own written testimonies as reference, so that an accurate record could be preserved. From there, he started his campaigning for reforms. Many of the hire ups dislike him, but the people adore him._

· _Urien, Sage of Reglay_

o _With Nicky being the force behind Albert's punishment, Urien focused his attention on helping Lancelot, lord of Caliburn, deal with Albert's estates, and on ensuring Mordred was healthy and safe during his coronation. Afterwards, he returned to Reglay to oversee the school and to teach his son, Pent._

· _Brendan Reed, Black Fang_

o _Brendan went back to the assassin business, with his organization growing by the day, but always remaining a family. He keeps his morals, though, and never goes after anyone who does not deserve a painful death._

· _Wallace, Crag of Caelin_

o _Wallace happily returned to Caelin, and he and Hassar were noted to run circles around all the knights. When Hassar and Madelyn left, though, he was sent to pursue. True to Eagler's predictions, though, he let them get away, and spent time in the dungeons for it. The experience unsettled him, but he's still bombastic as ever._

· _Renault, the Atoner_

o _Renault, surprisingly enough, actually joined the church, setting down his sword at last and taking up a staff. Though he's not very good at magic, he is noted to being a reassuring presence to those he visits as he travels. Where he shall end up, only he knows, but I think he is more content in this path._

· _Uther, General of Ostia, and Amanda (me), the Huntress_

o _Uther and I returned to Ostia, where he named me the new spymaster. We decided to keep our relationship quiet, so as to avoid the wedding we did not want, and in public, appear as close friends and partners. We take our jobs seriously, but we are always certain to make time for Hector, since his parents are, as Uther predicted, too busy to properly raise him._

* * *

Author's note: And here is the final chapter. The 'Darkness Sword' is a weapon that shows up both in FE2 and FE5, with the one here being based more on its FE5 version, but without the cursed aspect (or maybe it is and Albert is just psychotic enough!).  
Madelyn's title is based on Lyn's, Elbert's is based on Eliwood's, Uther's _is_ Hector's in-game title, Wallace's is his from FE7, and Marcus's is based on both his FE7 and FE6 title.

Next Chapter – Epilogue


	34. Epilogue - Twelve Years Later

Epilogue – Twelve Years Later

* * *

It had become habit to wake up early and read through whatever letters I had gotten the previous day. Most times, it was just so that I could hear their voices clearer. Sometimes, it was to see if there was any information I missed, something between the lines. Nicky and I almost made a game out of it, actually. After all, I might be Ostia's Spymaster, but he had his own contacts that could reach places my own agents could not.

"Mm…" The little groan signaled Uther was awake at last, but I did not turn from reading through Madelyn's latest letter. I was far too curious about her daughter's antics, after all. "Oh, there you are," he mumbled groggily. I heard him get out of bed and come over to kiss my shoulder, right at the tip of the scar Albert left. It was his habit, a 'good thing' associated with it. "Morning…"

"It's almost afternoon," I chided, finally glancing back at him. He still looked half-asleep as he shifted to simply hug me, and I smiled at his familiar warmth on my back. "Sleeping beauty."

"The bed is cozy, though I was confused by how cold it was." Typically on our days off, I would stay in bed with him as I read. "What caught your eye?"

"Nothing yet. I just wanted a bit of better light to make sure Hassar did not hide a message in the letter again." I held it up to show him. "It seems Lyn managed to convince some of the other Lorca children that a mud puddle was a portal to another world."

"Clever. I want her to meet Hector." It was his standard reaction to _anything_ about Lyn. "And Eliwood. Can you imagine the trouble they'd get into?"

"All too clearly, considering the trouble Hector gets into alone." I looked down at the last line of the letter, noting it was her standard. She loved us lots, and a promise that she would eventually contact her father. "Remind me again how she got us to promise to not tell Hausen anything?"

"By stating she wanted to mend that bridge herself, when she got the courage." The argument Hausen and Madelyn had that day… it had apparently been worse than anyone ever imagined. I knew Hassar felt guilty over it, even though Madelyn made it clear that she would always pick him. "So, I suppose we have to wait a bit longer."

"I give it five years. I'm tired of talking around it." He and me both. "Oh, right, how are Eagler and Wallace doing?"

"Just fine, though that injury Wallace took is making him consider an early retirement."

"And here I thought he would be like Marcus, serving until he was old and grey." With a little snicker, he reached for another letter, recognizing the handwriting easily. "Oh, what's the latest from Etruria?"

"Katarina is apparently attending the Tactician's School now." No, wait, 'Katri'. I always forgot her nickname, likely because I met her before she started insisting on it. "Cristina did not take it well, so we might have a meeting on the border to help calm her down." To my surprise, over the years, the relationship between Cristina and Katarina had deteriorated completely. Nicky was just as confused, and hoped they could find common ground again. I think he had long given up on complete reconciliation. "That's more or less it. Well, that our spies had not yet told you. Or Maria." Maria _loved_ sharing the gossip she picked up on the job, after all. "Or Yodel." Yodel was just as bad, but far more polite about it.

"True." He set down Nicky's letter and picked up the one from Brendan. "Well, this one looks like it was written in a hurry."

"It apparently was." I frowned as I took the letter from him. "During a mission, he got attacked by a druid and he realized that his memory of our little 'adventure' is spotty now, more than the test of time should make it." He remembered the word 'morph', for instance, but could not remember their distinguishing features. He remembered almost assassinating Uther, but did not remember who had hired him. "So, this is a special request. If he or the Black Fang ever seem off, we are to send someone to infiltrate immediately." And to assassinate him, if need be and the opportunity arose. "Other than that, though, nothing new on his end."

"I still can't believe those sweet kids we met back then are assassins now." Uther sighed, and I patted him on the head. "I know. You're not the least bit surprised." Nope. "I suppose things in Bern are bad enough to need vigilantes." Desmond proved to be as poor a king as everyone expected. I half-wondered if it was out of spite, a way to drag Nicky over to take the crown. "Apparently, the people are already putting their hope in the little crown prince."

"Yes, the poor child." Though, from what I understood, Zephiel just wanted the praise of his father more than anything. I could only hope he found other goals too, as I doubted that one would ever come true. "So…" A knock cut me off, and the two of us looked at the door. "Remind me of whose room we are in?"

"Yours, which means it's my turn to hide." He kissed my temple before darting into my closet, tossing me a robe to slip on before shutting the door behind him.

Shaking my head at his silliness, I put on the robe and cinched it shut as I walked over to the door, and opened it. "This had better be good," I sighed. I narrowed my eyes when I saw it was Matthew, grinning widely. "This had _really_ better be good. It's my day off."

"As if you ever take breaks," he retorted easily. I rolled my eyes in reply and softened slightly. He was my protégé, after all, and while we rarely spoke of it, I knew he was proud of the 'title'. He even made sure his cape was the same color as the scarf I would wear on the job, the one Maria had knitted me. "Just wanted to let you know that Leila's back early."

"Oh?" I smiled, first in relief, and then in mischief. "Well, go take the day off and ask her out on a date."

"W-why would I do that?!" His face colored, and he glared when I laughed. "Anyway, she's getting checked in the infirmary, as per your standards, and wanted to know if she reported now or later? Since it's your day off."

"Any emergencies?"

"She doesn't think so."

"Then, just tell her to give me a written report by tomorrow. And take her to that little store that sells charm bracelets."

"As if!" He stuck his tongue out at me, purposely being childish to make me laugh, before skipping down the hall, whistling a little tune.

Shaking my head, I shut the door again and rolled my shoulders. I thought about returning to the letters, but laughter caught my attention. So, instead, I headed to the window, absently knocking on the closet to let Uther know it was safe to come out.

As he disentangled himself from my dresses, I hunted for the sound and smiled softly when I found the source. Eliwood and Hector were playing tag in the gardens, under Elbert's supervision to make sure they did not fall into the fountain again.

"I am so glad those two get along." Uther hugged me from behind again, resting his chin on my shoulder. "Can you think of how awkward it would have been?" he half-joked. I simply laughed, remembering how he and Elbert had fretted. "They've decided to spar every two months the other day. I think they got tired of having to wait for something important happening in Ostia or Pherae to see each other."

"I can imagine." Still, my cheer faded as I watched them. "I cannot believe they are already twelve." I also could not believe it had already been twelve years since we stopped the murders. Twelve years since anyone had seen a morph, or heard of anything relating to them. "At this rate, we will be too worn to put up a proper fight when he _does_ show up." Our various duties made training hard, and age was going to take its toll soon. A lifetime of fighting was not kind to the body, no matter how skillful of healers you had. "That sword and my chakram are still in the vault, right?" There may come a time where they would need to be wielded, but I would continue to hope that would not be the case.

"Locked nice and tight, in their own section." He fell silent, watching Eliwood and Hector play. I knew he was thinking the same thing I was. "I can only hope that they are still too young when the threat returns."

"They shall always be too young for us." They could be old and grey and I would still fret over them. "But, even if that is the case, if the job falls on them, we just have to hold onto our faith." After all, if a ghost believed in them, why should the living give them anything less? "And help as much as we feasibly can."

"I suppose." He sighed, shaking his head before shifting to face me more fully. "Regardless, we are being much too serious for a day off. So serious, in fact, that I almost forgot something important." He smiled softly at me. "May I kiss you?"

I smiled back, letting myself cheer up again. "Please and thank you."

* * *

Author's note: And here is the end of Thief's Testimony. For clarification, Uther and Amanda remained lovers until his death in FE7, though they continued to keep it quiet to avoid 'expectations' placed on them. In Eliwood and Hector's supports, you learn that they have been having spars since they were 12. In Tactician's Testimony, Lyn makes a reference to the same incident mentioned here.

Regardless, as I said, this is the end of Thief's Testimony. Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed.

If you are curious about the Scouring for this series, please read A Thief's Legacy.

If you are curious about the FE7 story, please read A Tactician's Testimony.

If you are curious about the FE6 story, please read A Tactician's Legacy.

Again, thank you so much for reading.


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